


reach back from those mistakes before they can find us

by startagainbuttercup



Category: Druck | SKAM (Germany)
Genre: Character Death, F/M, I Can't Believe I Wrote This, M/M, but also it is quite hilarious if you watched htgawm, but someone had to be sacrificed for the plot, davenzi is coliver, htgawm au, it's extremely dramatic, kind of????, leonie is annalise, please don't read this, someone's gonna get killed, they all law school students
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:26:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 21,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24843004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/startagainbuttercup/pseuds/startagainbuttercup
Summary: Basically, How To Get Away with Murder AU
Relationships: Amira Thalia Mahmood/Mohammed Razzouk, Jonas Augustin/Hanna Jung, Matteo Florenzi/David (Druck)
Comments: 62
Kudos: 44





	1. Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Big thank you to maybeineternity9 for reading this and helping me with mistakes

David wouldn't call himself an anxious person, no, he's always been a very confident man. He knew he was a passionate but calm person. But that was before he applied and got into one of the prestigious law schools and currently was sitting in the big class room on the course of the famous criminal law professor, Leonie Richter.

  
Now, when she entered the room, he is almost terrified, and the only thing that helped him not to lose it, was the whisper from the blond girl next to him.

"Oh my god, she is even more fascinating than in the pictures..."

"What? "- David turned to a girl.

"I'm Mia", - girl smiled, - "I've been professor Richter's big fan since the middle school and I can't believe I'm here."

"I'm David", - David smiled back, grateful for the distraction.

Meanwhile professor Richter starts talking and David's anxiety strikes again.

"Welcome to the criminal law course!",- she spoke loud and steady, - "since I'm not just a teacher but the practicing defence attorney, you will be lucky to help me with the real cases in court."

David's heart started beating faster, that was basically everything he wanted.

"Some of you will also have a chance to get into an internship in my office", - professor Richter continued, - "usually I choose five students, but this year I have a possibility to take six!"

"I bet I will be one of those six", - Mia leaned to whisper in David's ear.

"Same here", - the girl in hijab in the row before David's turned around.

"Good luck to you both", - David said with a smile.

"You don't want to be in Richter's team?" - the girl in hijab raised her eyebrows in shock.

"That's like the chance of your whole life and career", - Mia said.

"I just don't think she will choose me", - David shrugged, - "there are like 80 students here."

" _Pshht"_ , - the guy next to Mia hissed and all three students stopped talking and started to pay attention to Leonie Richter.

"Our current case: Karl Fischer, 26 years old white man, accused of poisoning his father, Tomas Fischer. Karl's mother died in a car accident 10 years ago, no siblings, so prosecution thinks this is because of money. Karl also has a fiancée Maria, they should marry in 2 months, met at work, they work in the same agency. Who can tell me a defence strategy?"

Silence.

"Nothing? Okay then, I'll choose 3 of you to check fiancée and talk with their colleagues. Another 3 to talk with Karls' friends. Another 3 to check Tomas' friends and coworkers. If you want to volunteer, come to me after class, if I don't have enough volunteers, I'll send an email to the most unlucky of you."

"We should volunteer", - Mia hisses in David's ear.

David sighs.

* * *

David and another guy, Abdi, are in the bar in the same building as Leonie's client's agency.

"So, who do you think is working there?" - Abdi points to the group of women and grins widely.

"Professor Richter said check all coworkers, so how about you take the girls and I'll take the boys?" - David is pansexual and he knows how to flirt with men, and he doesn't mind doing it for a work.

"Okay?" - Abdi looks surprised but composes himself quickly, going to the women's company.

David looks around. He sees a bunch of guys in suits and then he notices a young man, his age, probably, blond hair is on his face, he drinks beer alone. David knows he is on work but suddenly he can't help himself, the guy he is looking at is beautiful and sad. David thinks, work can wait a little.

He leads his way to the bar, buys two beers and reaches the guy.

"Hi", - David sets the drinks between him and a blond boy. - "I'm David." - He smiles his most charming smile. - "Tell me you work for the agency in this building."

The blond boy _smirks_.

"I do, but not with the cool guys", - he runs a hand through his messy hair,- "I'm from IT department. Thanks for the beer, though." - he looks at David with his beautiful blue eyes and adds. - I'm Matteo.

"Oh, I think IT is very cool", - David smiles with all his teeth and sees how the blond guy _blushes_.

David can't believe his luck. Matteo is not only working in the client's agency but also seems to be into him.

"How about you give me your number?" - David winks and Matteo blushes even more.

They exchange numbers, and keep talking while David thinks how to change their conversation into something close to his problem. Couple of times he sees Abdi buying a drink to some girl, then dancing with the other.

Eventually, David takes a breath.

"Hey, do you know anything about this guy, who, supposedly, killed his father?"

"The law department warned us to not tell anything to strangers, you know", - Matteo smirks again.

David is distracted by his this smirk so much, it takes him at least 20 second to process Matteo's answer.

"Sorry I asked", - David's brain screams _he won't tell you anything, you should go to the next one_ but he can't make himself go away from Matteo just yet.

They spend the next hour, drinking and talking, when Abdi comes and whispers _I got some information_ in David's ear.

David says good bye to Matteo and goes home.

* * *

_From Matteo_  
_**23:57** Hey, made it home safe?_

_To Matteo_  
_**23:58** Yes_  
_**23:59** I would prefer to make it home with you, though ;)_

_From Matteo_  
_**00:08** I waited you to offer that_

_To Matteo_  
_**00:10** I need to be in class at 8 am tomorrow so I just couldn't_

_From Matteo_  
_**00:11** Are you really a law student?_

_To Matteo_  
_**00:11** Yes, that's why I actually tried to hit on you in the first place_  
_**00:12** I really need an information about that guy from your agency(or his fiancée) or my boss kills me_

_From Matteo_  
_**00:30** I actually can hack our internal net and look if there is something interesting in their emails_  
_**00:35** But only if you will agree for a coffee date :)_

_To Matteo_  
_**06:53** Wow_  
_**06:53** I will buy you a coffee or the whole dinner if you do it._

_From Matteo_  
_**07:15** Already did_  
_**07:15** Check your email_

_To Matteo_  
_**07:16** Thanks!_  
_**07:18** So, coffee or dinner? ;)_  
_**07:30** Wait_  
_**07:30** How did you find my email??????_

_From Matteo_  
_**07:38** I have your name and a phone number, I can find basically everything about you_  
_**07:40** Coffee, cafe "Hamburg", Saturday, 11 am, by the way_

_To Matteo_  
_**07:45** That's really close to my place_

_From Matteo_  
_**07:46** ;)_

* * *

"Time to present your defence strategies." - Leonie Richter looks to students with a challenge.

"Sam M'Pele", - a black girl with blue hair stands up.- "I talked with Maria and Karl's coworkers, they all said about gossips, that Maria didn't want to sign marriage contract and that it was Karl's father who insisted on it."

"So what is your strategy, miss M'Pele?"

"Fiancée has a motive, she killed her future father-in-law."

"Motive is good, but it won't be enough. We need evidence."

"But", - Sam started.

"Other ideas?" - professor Richter cuts her off.

"Abdi Ates. I talked with girls from their agency at the bar, and one of them hinted that our client had an affair. Karl's father could know about that so he killed him."

"Mister Ates. I understand that you came to a law school because of _your_ father, but it doesn't seem like you completely get the point of being a defence attorney", - Leonie said with sarcasm and David only now realized why Abdi's last name sounded so familiar. Federal judge Ates was his father. - "How exactly this information will help you to defend your client?"

"It won't. Client is guilty. My strategy - to convince him to sign a plea deal."

"Wrong, mister Ates. Anything else?"

:David Schreibner", - David stands up, - "It is true, that Karl had an affair, I have emails which confirm that. But also I have emails between Maria and Karl, she sent him an article about Potassium cyanide, a week before his father was murdered with the same poison. So I agree with mister Ates, client is guilty and he should sign a plea deal."

Pause.

"No one is guilty until it's proven. I need to speak to my client. Mister Schreibner, i need to see those emails. Others, find me more information. All questions you can adress to my assistants, Sara and Jonas."

With that, professor Richter left the class room.

"How did you get those emails?" - The girl in hijab asked. - "I'm Amira, by the way"

"I have my methods", - David winked, and smiled, thinking of Matteo.

"I see",- Abdi appeared on the right smiling wide,- "you got this blonde guy talking yesterday!"

"Maybe i did", - David grinned and left.

* * *

David is in Leonie's office, sitting next to a bunch of other students. They argue and try to come up with any strategy, while it's obvious for everyone: if they could find evidence against their client, prosecution will find it too and Karl is doomed.

Professor Richter is speaking with the client in other room but David can tell she is more shouting than speaking, as he hears _If you want me to defend you mister Fischer, you have to tell me about such things as sending an article about a poison your father was murdered to your fiancée!_ even through the closed door.

"She will kill him",- Abdi laughs nervously.

"Nah, she is actually being very nice to him",- Jonas, one of Leonie's assistants, says. David can't say if he is being serious.

"Clients always lie",- Sara, another assistant, mutters.

David hears _If you or your fiancée actually killed your father, you better tell me before the court, so I'll have 2 more hours to prepare for ruining my career and reputation_ and then Leonie opens and slams the door again.

"He swears he or his fiancée didn't kill the guy. Do we believe him? Mister Schreibner?"

"No?"

"Exactly. Now, get back to work, we have 2 more hours."

* * *

2 hours later David finds himself in an actual court in the last row, watching Leonie Richter defending her client.

"She is failing, juries are gonna say guilty", - Sam whispers to Amira, loud enough for David and Abdi to hear it too.

Sara who sits in a first row next to Leonie turns around and frowns at them.

"We should have insisted on a plea deal", - David says. Abdi nods in approval.

"No, we should have attacked his fiancée", - Mia says.

"Leonie said your idea is terrible, embrace it", - some guy says and Mia looks at him offended.

Suddenly, the ginger girl next to the guy stands up and runs out of the court room.

David looks at Amira questioningly but she just shrugs.

20 minutes later, ginger girl breaks into the court room again with a piece of paper and runs to Leonie. Leonie looks at the paper, whispers something to Sara and takes a 15 minutes break.

"What did you find?" - Sam asks the girl, who looks very excited.

"His father did it himself. Or that was one of his old friends."

"What?" - David and all other students open their mouths in shock.

"While you guys worked with the son, I worked with victim's friends. I found out that victim's wife, Karl's mother, died in a car accident. His friend said she was cheating on him. A day before Tomas was poisoned, he received an anonymous email with a threat which said "I know you killed her". Prosecution was hiding this evidence, because it ruins all the case. Jonas asked some friend to trace that anon and we found out it is from that very friend who told us about cheating. So it is either him or Tomas did it himself because of the guilt. Anyway, it's enough for Leonie to convince juries Karl didn't commit a murder."

Leonie wins.

David comes home, feeling awful. He's sure he's gonna be a bad lawyer. He was holding on idea his client is guilty he didn't even look at the case from other angles.

* * *

Next day David is sitting in the class room again. His anxiety is back. Professor Richter is going to say who will be in her team and help her working on the cases this semester and David suddenly can't breath. With the corner of his eye he sees Amira twisting the pen in her hands and Sam next to her nervously tapping the table with her long blue nails. They remind David of Matteo's eyes and he holds onto this thought before his heartbeat would become too fast and kill him right here. He is sure after his fail on the Fischer case, Leonie will never choose him, but the flash of hope goes through his mind anyway.

Finally, Leonie starts speaking.

"Hanna Jung"

David looks at ginger hair girl, who helped Leonie to win the case earlier. That was expected.

"Sam M'Pele"

Sam stops tapping the table and surprised sound comes out her mouth.

"Amira Mahmood"

"I knew it!" - Amira is not even surprised, she looks smug.

"Carlos Schmidt"

Honestly, David has no idea who is it.

Leonie pauses.

David doesn't know if she is doing it on purpose, killing the half of her students with that dramatic pause, or she is just not sure about the next name.

"Abdi Ates"

David is surprised but it seems like Abdi is surprised even more. 

One, sixth person is left and David looks at Mia clenching her fists so hard her knuckles are white.

"David Schreibner"

Professor Richter looks right at him and David can't believe it. Amira says _Congratulations_ and taps his shoulder but David can barely process it because he can't believe he just got into the most prestigious internship that probably will define his future. He takes a deep breath and only now realizes he's been holding it for a long time.

* * *

_To Matteo_  
**_20:46_ ** _You won't believe it, but I won a jackpot of my life today and that's all thanks to you. Can't wait for our coffee date_

_From Matteo_  
_**20:55** Me too_


	2. It's always a boyfriend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to maybeineternity9 and stazyros for help with reading and editing.  
> Also I changed format a bit in both chapters.

"David!"

David thinks he is having a panic attack. There is too much space around him, his body is shaking, he can't breathe. He hears Amira's voice somewhere far away, she is calling him by his name, but he can't focus, the world is spinning.

"David!"

Amira shakes his shoulder and finally he realizes that she is not that far, she is here, right in front of him.

"David, look at me. David, _please_ , look at me!" - Amira's voice is loud and almost hysterical. David opens his eyes and instantly regrets this decision.

He sees Sam, crying on the floor, and Carlos looking at his hands, covered in blood.

"We need to burn the body..." - David hears Hanna's weak voice and suddenly he remembers where he is. He is in Leonie Richter's office. 

* * *

**_2 months earlier._ **

"So, you are that kind of IT geniuses who work in a boring office and hack stuff when they have free time?" - David asks Matteo.

They are at the cafe, having their coffee date. It is not as awkward as David was afraid it would be, Matteo is really easy to talk to. They laugh a lot, talking about their jobs and interests.

"Not exactly, but I can easily find any information about a person. For example, I can track your location and check your credit cards if I know your name and phone number." - Matteo smiles and David is not sure if he is serious. 

What he is sure about is that he doesn't want this date to end. Meanwhile they're both finishing a second cup of coffee and waitress is looking at them with visible irritation, because they have been sitting in this cafe for 1,5 hours already but haven't ordered anything else. Matteo doesn't seem to be in a hurry too. Currently he is tapping something in his phone.

"I'm impressed." - David laughs, - "Is there a reason why you chose this cafe? You found out that I live in the building next to it? Or..."

Matteo winks but then his face cracks in a wide smile and he starts laughing.

"No, I actually just chose something in the center that in not so far from both my apartment and your law school. It is a coincidence, I promise."

David blinks.

"Actually", - Matteo continues, - "I can find you in every social media in a minute, but I won't do it without your permission."

David takes his phone and opens the timer app.

"One minute, huh?" - he grins and sets the timer.

He sees challenge in Matteo's eyes before those eyes lower to his phone. The whole minute Matteo's doing his research David misses this blue color and considers that maybe he shouldn't think about Matteo's eyes too much and focus on something more appropriate for the first date. Matteo's hands, or shoulders, or maybe his neck. By the time the timer rings, David is bright red, trying and failing to make his imagination come back to the eyes. 

"Done. You have a Facebook page but haven’t used it for years, and two instagram accounts. One is **david.gif** , mostly art, but you didn't post there for a while", - David holds his breath. Second account contains his personal photos and transgender flag in bio. He is out and proud to be himself, but a little flash of fear still runs through his chest every time people learn who he is. - "Second one, with your photos, it's quite new." - Matteo smiles. David releases his breath and smiles back.

"I used to draw, when I was in school, but recently I don't have much time, that's why I don't update my art account anymore." - David explains.

They keep talking until it becomes painfully obvious for both of them: it's been too long for a coffee date, but neither wants to stop.

"Hey, do you want to hang out at my place?" - David asks eventually, - "I may or may not have something interesting to smoke." 

" I would love to, but I have things to do and I need to be sober. Maybe next time?'

David spends the rest of his day in a very good mood.

* * *

"Richter's six"

"This sounds ridiculous", - Sam says.

"Richter's five-plus-one is even more ridiculous", - Amira adds.

"Richter's interns?" - Hanna offers.

They are in Leonie's office after classes, David and Hanna are drinking bad espresso from a coffee machine, Amira, Abdi and Sara reading old Leonie's cases. Carlos, a pretty guy with brown eyes, writes something on the white board. David's head hurts, he had a million classes today and all he wants is to take a shower, and maybe talk to Matteo on Whatsapp before going to sleep. He can't though, because Leonie has a new case and David is one of Richter’s six now. He finishes his coffee, sighs and joins other students.

"It sounds ridiculous, because it's always been Richter's five", - Carlos says. - "Someone is one too many here".

"Aaaand this someone is you", - Abdi points.

"Said the federal judge's son who was chosen only because of his daddy's name". - Carlos snaps back.

"Seriously, why did she choose you?" - Jonas asks from where he is standing in the doorframe and David shivers out of sudden. Honestly, he didn't even know Jonas was here all the time. - "Hanna - because she helped to win the case, Piercing - because he found emails, Federal Judge Junior - obviously why, Lollipop and Cold Gaze, because they are both smart, but you", - he points to Carlos, - "why did she choose you?"

"Maybe he is Leonie's secret son", - Sam jokes.

"Ha ha", - Carlos pouts.

"She is not that old", - Sara adds.

"I’m actually asking myself, why she didn't choose Mia", - David says. - "It should have been her, not me."

"Who?"

"A blond girl, she sits with me in class. I haven’t seen her last 2 days, though. Maybe she is sick."

David's phone vibrates in his pocket. It's Matteo. David smiles and answers the call.

"Hi, what are your plans for the evening?" - Matteo's voice is soft but flirty.

"I'm stuck in my boss' office, working on a case."

"Sad. I thought, maybe we will go out for a drink, or, maybe", - Matteo lowers his voice, - "I could come to you..."

"Sorry, I'm really busy tonight."

"Okay, don't want to distract you."

"You already did", - David laughs. - "I'll call you tomorrow."

When he pockets his phone and looks up, there are several pairs of eyes staring at him with interest.

"Is it that guy from the bar?" - Abdi asks with a wide grin. - "It's him, am I right?"

"Awww, he is blushing", - Sam says.

"Wait, are you gay?" - Carlos asks and Amira sends him a glare.

"I'm not discussing my personal life with you"

"Uh, come on, we don't have a personal life, give us something", - Sam insists.

"Hey, speak for yourself, I'm engaged, for example", - Amira says.

"Oh my god, congratulations! Who is the lucky guy?"

"I agree with David, we don't have to talk about our personal lives..." - Hanna starts.

"If you're afraid someone will know you're secretly sleeping with Jonas, it’s too late, we already know", - Sara says. David and everybody else nod, in agreement. - "Now enough talking, get back to work or Leonie will kill us."

* * *

"Leonie needs to discredit the prosecution witness".

"So you ask me to hack his email? Are you sure you're a law student? It seems like you spend more time breaking the law than practicing it", - Matteo says, but David sees sparkles of excitement in his eyes. He invited Matteo to his place to hang out and he feels really bad for using Matteo for his work, but Matteo doesn’t seem to mind, so David feels a little better.

"Please?" - he says with his most innocent smile. They're sitting on David's couch, drinking beer and eating pizza, Matteo's laptop on the table in front of them.

"Fine", - Matteo finally agrees, - "what do I get for my help?"

That smirk again. David really-really wants to kiss that smirk out of Matteo's face. He goes to his bedroom instead, finds a little box with 3 joints and a lighter. He takes one and comes back where curious Matteo's eyes are waiting for him. 

"Will this do?" - He waves a joint in his hand. Matteo grins.

"So, which email I have to hack?"

Two hours later Matteo lies on the couch, David sits on the floor, eyes closed, head thrown back next to Matteo's face, joint between his lips. He takes a hit and exhales slowly while Matteo runs fingers through his hair. They almost don't talk, feeling comfortable around each other even in silence. David takes the joint from his mouth and turns to put it between Matteo's lips, but suddenly he freezes, realizing how close their faces are. The idea runs through his brain faster than he can catch it and a moment later he leans forward. The kiss is soft and fast and David leans back just a little before Matteo can respond. One, two, three breaths pass, while they stare at each other, and finally Matteo closes 2 inch distance between them and kisses David back. Matteo's kiss is just as soft but more lingering and firm, his hand goes from David's hair to the base of his neck, holding David's face closer. David breaks it only to put the joint in the ashtray and a second later Matteo pulls him back. 

They kiss, they laugh, they finish the joint and pizza and kiss again, and again, and again, until David takes Matteo's hand and leads him into his bedroom, where they spend the best night in David's life. 

* * *

On Monday David is sitting in class, discussing his lecture notes with Amira and Sam. Leonie comes in, followed by the principal and two policemen. 

"Good morning. Yesterday we got reported a missing person from your class, Mia Amalie Winter", - the principal starts. - "Her boyfriend also said she hasn’t been answering his calls since last Tuesday. She hasn’t been showing up in school either. The police is here to talk with everybody who was in a contact with her. Some of you will be called for questioning. Please, if you know something, report to these officers."

"I bet, her boyfriend killed her", - Amira whispers.

"Why?" - David whispers back.

"Because it's always a boyfriend", - Amira shrugs.

"How do you know she is dead?" - Sam asks.

David has a bad feeling.


	3. We have to tell Leonie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> biggest thank you stazyros for patience and fixing all mistakes

"We need to burn the body…", - David hears Hanna's voice and, as he turns around to look, he feels sick. He sees the body and all he can think is _there shouldn't be_ **_that_ ** _much blood in one human_. This thought makes him let out a laugh. It comes out of his mouth, hysterical, weird, strange, broken and he can't recognize his own voice. Situation they are in is so ridiculous and amount of blood on the floor is just as ridiculous and David can't control himself and keeps laughing, until he is about to have another panic attack. Eventually, he stops, because Hanna looks at him, her eyes full of fear. 

"We are not touching the body", - he finally says. _It's kind of too late though_ , a voice in his head says and he wants to laugh again. He takes a deep breath to stop it.

"Then we all will go to prison", - Amira says. Her voice is cold and she seems to be too calm for a person who has just participated in a murder.

"Blame this all on Carlos" - Sam sobs.

"Nobody is blaming anyone. We will get rid of the body and nobody will know" - Amira says.

"They will find out and not even Leonie will protect us" - David protests.

"She is right" - Carlos says quietly. - "Blame it all on me. I'll say it was self-defence."

* * *

**_6 weeks earlier_ **

_From Matteo_  
**_20:21_ ** _What sandwich topping is your favorite?_

_To Matteo  
**20:22** Seriously?   
**20:22** We are in the same bed, you can ask me using your voice  
_

_From Matteo  
**20:23** Just answer  
_

_To Matteo  
**20:23** You ;)  
_

David hears an amused huff from the right side of his bed and grins widely.

"Cream cheese and avocado" - he says before Matteo pulls him in a hug and starts to pepper his face with little kisses.

* * *

David takes his seat in the classroom and opens his backpack to take his notes when he notices a sandwich. With cream cheese and avocado. He feels warmth in his chest, and without a thought takes a picture of the sandwich before sending it to Matteo with _Found it_ caption.

"Can I sit here?" 

"Ugm. What?" - David looks up and sees Abdi. 

"I mean. We both know Mia won't walk through this door right now, so I thought I can sit here."

"Whatever" - David sighs. It's been more than a week since the police called him for questioning, though he couldn't say anything useful anyway.

"Do you think she changed her identity and hides somewhere in Cuba?" - Sam turns to David and Abdi with a dreamy expression on her face.

"I think she is dead", - Amira joins the conversation.

"You didn't even know her" - David says.

"Neither did you. Unless you two secretly dated?" - Abdi says, his eyes wide.

"No, you’re right. I didn't know her. We talked a few time during classes and that's all."

"Guys, stop talking about her as if she's dead," Sam looks sad now.

"Sorry."

"Good morning, class!" - The conversation is interrupted by Leonie. - "Today's case: Victoria Hoffmann, a white woman, 42 years old, a nurse, sentenced to 25 years for murdering three residents of a nursing home, where she used to work. She's been in prison since her arrest. What are we gonna do? Mr. Schmidt?" 

"We need to talk with witnesses, find a new suspect and evidence against them." 

"Right! Let's get started."

* * *

"She says she was framed" - David shares with Richter's six. - "All three residents died in her watch and they found extra sedatives in blood in all three cases, but she didn't kill them."

"It is not fair Leonie chose you to talk to the client in prison" - Amira says. - "I want to prison too."

"It's easy, you just need to kill someone" - Abdi jokes.

"I’ll start from you" - Amira scoffs.

"Carlos, are you gonna work or you will keep looking at your phone?" - Sara says and Carlos quickly blocks his phone and settles it on the table. The screen lights up immediately and a message pops up.

"Wow, who is Kiki?" - Sam asks.

"My neighbour. Her apartment is on the same floor" - Carlos answers and turns his phone over, screen down.

"Am I the only one who is single here?" - Sam says.

"High five, bro" - Abdi offers his hand.

"Sometimes I wish I was single" - Amira says. - "With all the classes and cases I don't have time at all and almost don't see my fiancée. He is also jealous of you guys because you are the people I spend all my time with."

"We could pick free time some day and go to a bar, so we can meet... Mohammed, right?" - Hanna offers.

"This is not a bad idea!" - Sam looks excited. - "David could invite his IT genius boyfriend, Carlos - his neighbour..."

"We are not in "meet my friends" stage yet" - Carlos says and blushes.

"Also we are not friends" - David adds.

"We spend all the time together, we are friends, embrace it", - Abdi grins.

Hanna opens her mouth to say something else but she is interrupted by Leonie rushing into the office.

"We probably have a new case. Police found Mia Winter's body. She was strangled to death."

Sam gasps.

"W.. What?" - David hears himself saying.

"The principal asked me to represent Alexander Hardenberg, her boyfriend. He is the main suspect. His parents are also very rich and donated a fortune to our school so I can't really say no. Sara, send copies of his case to my interns."

"Done", - Sara says in a couple of minutes. 

David opens an email and sees pictures of Mia's body. Her hair is dirty, lips are blue and there is a huge purple finger-shaped spot on her neck. David closes his eyes for a second. He takes a breath and opens them again to look at the picture of Alexander. If he did this to Mia, there is no way David can defend him. The bastard deserves to go to jail for the rest of his life. David wants to say it out loud but when he looks up at the team, he sees Carlos’ face is white, as if he saw a ghost. 

A few hours later, when David leaves Leonie's office, he quietly asks Carlos, what's wrong. _It's nothing_ , he says, but David hears uncertainty in his voice. He doesn't push, because it is enough stress for one day.

* * *

"I need your hacking skills again."

"You know that I don't actually work for that Leonie, right?" - Matteo laughs. He is not mad and David is relieved. - "I can go to prison for that."

"I won't let you", - David kisses Matteo's shoulder.

"Says first year law school student." 

"I will grow up to an amazing lawyer if you help me with the case" - David now is kissing Matteo's neck, moving to his jaw.

"I wish your professor paid me instead of you", - Matteo mutters while David kisses his cheek and then temple.

David watches fondly Matteo typing on his laptop. Matteo is wearing David's t-shirt and sweatpants, because he is staying over at David's place the second day in row. He looks so fitting here, in David's living room, in David's clothes, on David's couch as much as he did in the morning, making breakfast in David's kitchen, when David came back from his morning run. David wonders, when it happened, because it's been only a month since he met Matteo in that bar, but he already can't imagine his life without him.

David's phone buzzes. 

_Richter six_

**_19:27 Sam:_ ** _@amira.da.queen @david @carlos when are we meeting Mohammed, Kiki and The IT genius?_

 **_19:27 Sam:_ ** _is next Friday okay?_

 **_19:28 Abdi:_ ** _@david can you also ask your boyfriend to hack Alex phone?_

 **_19:29 David:_ ** _I don't think he can do it without actually having a phone_

 **_19:29 David:_ ** _And, it's Matteo_

"Who is Alex and why someone wants me to hack his phone?" - David hears Matteo asking.

"Remember I said my classmate, Mia, is missing?"

"Yep. Did the police find her?"

"Kind of", - David sighs. - "They found her body."

"Oh, wow."

"Yeah. Her boyfriend - Alex - is the main suspect. He’s also a student in our school. Leonie is contemplating taking his case."

"Why do you sound like you totally don't want her to defend him?" 

"Because I saw pictures. That was bad. Like really bad. If the guy did this, I want him to go to prison."

"You don't know if he did this. Innocent until proven guilty, right?"

David shrugs. Matteo kisses David on his cheek.

"Hey, don't think about this", - Matteo says, between kisses. - "I can distract you."

David hums in agreement, letting Matteo distract him. He definitely can't imagine his life without him anymore. 

* * *

"Defence calls a witness, Mr. Muller, the manager of the nursing home."

David and the crew are in the back seats, watching Leonie. 

"Mr. Muller, is it true that your salary as a manager in not really big?"

"Objection, your Honor" - the prosecutor says. - "Not related to the case."

"I'll rephrase" - Leonie continues. - "Is it true, that you don't usually receive six-figure sums three times in one week?"

"Objection..."

"Let me finish and you see the relevance."

"Answer the question, Mr. Muller" - the judge states.

"No, I don't" - the witness is visibly pale. _Come on_ , David barely hears Abdi's whisper.

"Then how would you explain receiving three payments in a week, 100 thousand each, after three residents of your nursing home were murdered?"

"I.. I can't."

"Three payments from relatives of those residents."

"Can I use... my right to not to be a witness against myself?"

"No further questions, your Honor", - Leonie finishes and David hears Sam releasing her breath.

A few minutes later they are standing in the hall.

"I can’t believe we won", - Sam says.

"There is no 'we', Sam, I was the one who tracked the payments" - David argues.

"Guys..."

"You wanted to say your boyfriend did?" - Sam doesn't miss a bit.

"Guys!" - Carlos says louder. He sounds desperate and looks sick.

"What's wrong?" - Hanna asks quietly.

"It's about Mia's case", - Carlos whispers. - "I saw Alexander walking out of Kiki's apartment on the night Mia disappeared. They were arguing."

"What the fuck, Carlos?" - Amira says.

"Did you report it?" - Hanna asks. - "Did you tell Leonie? It can help with the case, if Kiki is his alibi."

"Mia was a friend of Kiki's", - Carlos says, his voice is shaking.

"Tell me you didn't know that all the time?" 

"We have to tell Leonie" - David says.

* * *

_From Matteo  
**22:21** How was your day? Sorry I can't come today, busy at work.  
_

_To Matteo  
**22:25** We won the case  
**22:25** It is lonely here without you  
_

_From Matteo  
**22:26** Congrats!  
**22:26** I need to sleep at home sometimes too ;)  
_

_To Matteo  
**22:30** Hey, do you want to meet my friends?  
**22:32** They want to meet in a bar someday with all our crew and our significant others  
**22:33** We can skip if you don't want to...  
_

_From Matteo  
**22:40 Gladly :)**  
****_

_To Matteo  
**22:41** Gladly as in "I want to meet them" or "I would gladly skip"?  
**22:50** Matteo  
_

_From Matteo  
**22:50** :)  
_

_To Matteo  
**22:51** I hate you_

_From Matteo  
**22:52** No you don't  
****_

David begins typing _You're right, I love you_ but never sends it.

  
  



	4. He is our alibi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is not really good and also quite short because i decided to divide it for two parts.  
> Big thank you to stazyros for editing

David hears Amira, Sam and Hanna whispering aggressively, arguing about the body, Carlos is in the office bathroom, cleaning himself and shocked Kiki from blood. David hears sounds of the water and Carlos muttering "It's okay, everything will be okay".  _ It won't be. _

David tries to think.

If they go to the police, Carlos, Kiki and probably Sam are gonna be arrested and there is a really big possibility that David, Amira and Hanna too, as accomplices. They were here and they are all part of this.

If they try to get rid of the body, they need to do it properly and destroy all the evidence: fingerprints, blood, DNA, and they need a car, and an alibi. And still there is a chance it won't work.

David tries to decide which option makes him feel less nauseous when his phone starts ringing. He jumps.

"Why is Matteo calling you, David?" - Amira finally loses her self-control. Her voice is high and it's her turn to panic. "Tell me he doesn't know where we are? Why is he calling you?!"

"He is moving into my apartment today", - David mumbles and suddenly he can't think.  _ Oh God _ , how is he going to explain all this to Matteo?

* * *

**_4 weeks earlier_ **

"Don't be nervous." 

"I'm not" - Matteo says but the way he runs his hand through his hair tells David he is pretty much nervous. 

"We just go inside, have a couple of drinks, talk to my friends and go home." - He stops Matteo in front of the bar to kiss him softly. - "They will like you."

"It's not that I'm afraid your friends won't like me" - Matteo laughs - "Okay, maybe a little."

"There is no way someone wouldn't love you" - David assures him. - "You look good today", - he adds after another kiss.

They find Hanna, Jonas, Sam, Amira and a tall guy with  _ Oh my god, gorgeous hair _ already in a booth.

"David" - he introduces himself to the guy - "And this is..."

"...Matteo!" - Sam and Hanna exclaim in unison, clapping their hands in excitement and laughing.

"I see you've started drinking without us."

"It's so nice to finally meet a person who saved our jobs so many times", - Amira shakes Matteo's hand. Matteo's cheeks are pink because of all the attention he gets.

"And this is Mohammed, my fiancée" - Amira points to Gorgeous Hair.

"I'll get us drinks" - Jonas says and goes to the bar.

"Why is Jonas here?" Amira hisses the second he's gone.

"We decided to date openly" - Hanna answers. - "And this is a couples night, so..."

"He is Leonie's assistant, she will fire you" - Amira says.

"Who is getting fired?" - Abdi appears by their table.

"Hanna and Jonas," David remarks." - And the rest of us because we are hanging out in the bar instead of preparing for exams."

"Come on, it's 2 months before exams."

They spend more time there and get more drinks than David expected. Carlos joins them later with a blond girl in pretty glasses. 

"I'm Kiki," she smiles shyly and David can  _ hear _ thoughts buzzing in every crew member's head. Kiki doesn't look like a person who can strangle a girl with her bare hands.

The tension in the air is almost palpable, it's in the way Hanna stares at Kiki, it's in the way Amira looks in Carlos' face expectantly, it's in the way Sam looks at David with concern. David and every person in their team are pretty much aware Kiki is a suspect of conspiracy to murder even if the police doesn't know about it yet. It's only a matter of time. They still didn't tell Leonie because Carlos begged them and swore Kiki is innocent. For a second David wonders, if Hanna told Jonas about that.

David feels Matteo touching his hand and looking at him with his eyebrow raised, and that finally makes David snap out of it. For a few seconds nothing is happening, but fortunately, Abdi breaks the pause and David sees Carlos sighing with relief.

"Nice to meet you, Kiki!" 

Eventually David relaxes, because Kiki turns out to be a nice person but tension is back when Mohammed asks how Mia murder case is going. 

"Can we... ughm…" - David can see  the blood draining from Carlos' face . - "Can we not talk about work and study for once?"

"Who is Mia?" - Kiki asks curiously without a hint of confusion. Sam chokes on her drink.

"Our classmate" - David answers. - "She was murdered, supposedly by her boyfriend. Our teacher and boss is his lawyer."

"Alexander Hardenberg" - Amira adds and David is watching Kiki's face expression but it doesn't change. Meanwhile Carlos looks almost sick.

"Oh, I'm sorry about your classmate" - Kiki says with an innocent smile and David feels his fists are clenching against his will. Carlos looks like he regrets every decision in his life that led to this moment.

"I'll get us drinks", - David mutters and heads to the bar counter. A moment later Matteo goes after him. 

"Hey, what just happened?" 

"She is lying. Carlos told us he saw Alex coming out of Kiki's apartment on the night Mia was killed. They were arguing" - David's voice is full of anger. - "God, she's such a good liar, it's terrifying."

"Does Leonie know?" 

"No."

"Why wouldn't you ask her directly?"

"It's tricky. If she and Alex killed Mia, we’d better tell Leonie first" - David is still angry.

"Hey, are you okay?" - Matteo looks concerned.

David sets drinks on the bar counter and hugs Matteo. Matteo hugs him back immediately. He is warm and smells good and his hands are wrapped around David, and it feels good. Comfortable. Safe.

"I love you" - David whispers into Matteo's neck, and it doesn't sound like a confession, caused by good amount of alcohol. It sounds like a statement, like a fact, as if David tells Matteo he loves him every day. 

"I love you too" - Matteo whispers back into David's hair and they stand there, holding each other, until Abdi ruins the moment.

"Do you guys think the bar counter is the most appropriate place for the…" - Abdi starts - "whatever you're doing?"

"I can't believe you left us with Carlos and his killer girlfriend to hug??" - Sam appears next to Abdi.

David detaches himself from Matteo with a sigh.

"We are telling Leonie" - he says.

"But Carlos said..."

"Wake up, Abdi, didn't you see his face?" - David feels his anger is back. - "The guy almost passed out because he didn't expect his girlfriend to lie shamelessly in our faces in cold blood. I bet he will go to the police just right after he comes out of this bar, or does something stupid, like confront her and she will kill him like she killed Mia."

David stops his rant and takes a breath. Abdi stares at him like he is insane, but he sees agreement in Sam's eyes.

"I think we should go home" - Matteo squeezes his hand. 

"We are telling Leonie tomorrow" - David says, before going back to the booth. He and Matteo say goodbye to Amira and Mohammed and they call a taxi to go home.

* * *

_ Richter's six _

**_00:23 Amira:_ ** _ @carlos tell me you made it home safe and alive _

**_00:25 Carlos:_ ** _ ha ha _

**_00:26 Sam:_ ** _ We should tell Leonie, you know that? _

**_00:30 Carlos_ ** _ : Yeah, I know _

**_00:31 Amira:_ ** _ Don’t do anything stupid until then _

* * *

Next day David and Sam are looking through the evidence in Mia's case.

They are sitting in Leonie's office, waiting for the rest of the crew, Carlos, in particular. When Carlos makes it through the door, David realizes something has happened. Carlos' eyes are red and his face is pale, though pale is a normal state for Carlos these days.

David doesn't have time to ask him what happened, when Leonie pokes her head out of her office and says " _ In my office, Mr. Schmidt _ ", her voice is full of ice but the eyes are furious.

Next 10 minutes David, Sara and Sam are waiting for Leonie to scream, but they hear nothing. David begins to think Leonie has killed him already, when she opens the door.

"We have progress in Alexander Hardenberg's case", - Leonie says in a suspiciously calm voice.

* * *

**_4 weeks later_ **

"Why is Matteo calling you, David?"

"He is moving into my apartment today."

"Answer it" - Hanna says.

"No" - David doesn't know what to say to Matteo.

"I said answer it. Tell him we are still at Amira's place and it will take us more time to study."

"I can't."

"David, you have to answer the phone. Do it!"

"I can't!"

"It is our alibi!"

"Okay. But please, shut up" - David says before hitting answer.

"Hey" - Matteo's voice is content and soft, - "I just finished moving last boxes. Hans and Linn helped me. When will you come home, so we can celebrate?"

"I'm still at Amira's" - David is surprised by how calm and confident he sounds. He doesn't deserve Matteo. - "We want to finish that big part today so we'll have more time later. So I, hmmmm, might be late."

"Okay" - now Matteo is upset and David wants to punch someone. Probably himself.

"I'm sorry, Matteo" - he says quietly. Sam and Amira look at him with wide eyes and Hanna shows  _ hang up _ with her hands.

"No, it's okay, I'll just... go to sleep then" - Matteo says and David is about to lose it. - "Okay, bye."

"Bye" - he says before Hanna grabs his phone and cancels the call.

"Okay, that was a very bad idea" - Hanna says. 

David slides down to the floor. He wants to cry. He has never lied to Matteo, and now a new stage in their relationship is beginning with  _ this _ . \

Not that it matters if they all go to jail for murder.

“Okay, let’s get rid of the body,” David says, determined. 

  
  



	5. What's the plan?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you very much stazyros for reading and fixing mistakes

"Okay, let's get rid of the body," David says.

"We need to wrap it in... something," Hanna says.

David stands up and goes around the office until he sees a green carpet in the conference room.

"Guys, you have to help me," he says.

They carefully take the carpet and carry it to the body. Sam is still sitting on the floor, though she isn’t crying anymore, but she seems to be not quite here. 

As Amira, David and Hanna are thinking how  to roll the body up in the carpet , Carlos comes back with Kiki, the blood is still in her hair and shirt but her face and neck are clean and she doesn't look as shocked as she was twenty minutes ago.

"I'll walk Kiki home," Carlos says.

"What? No," Amira protests. "Nobody is going anywhere until we're done with  _ this, _ " she points to the pool of blood on the floor.

"No, he's right," Hanna says. "Kiki needs an alibi too. Walk her home, change clothes, make some coffee and post a couple of selfies on instagram about you watching Netflix together or something."

"That's brilliant!" Amira looks excited for a second before she remembers the ridiculous situation they are in. "I mean," she says, less excited, "Instagram is such a good idea. Do you have your notes with you?" 

"I do,"Sam says.

"Give them to me," Amira says. "And your phone."

With shaking hands Sam takes her notes and laptop out of her backpack. Amira settles them on the office desk, turns on the table lamp and takes a picture. She opens Sam's instagram and posts a story.

_ Preparing for exams 🤯 _

**_@amira.da.queen @ha.nnanannanana @da_vid.gif_ **

"Here. Our alibi."

David's phone vibrates.

_ Righter's six _

**_22:46 Abdi:_ ** _ [link to Sam's story] _

**_22:46 Abdi:_ ** _ I can't believe you guys are studying without me _

**_22:47 Hanna:_ ** _ you lost your right to study with us when you refused to share your notes _

After a moment they start to laugh. David, then Amira, then Hanna, and finally Sam joins them, as they let all the stress go out with that hysterical laugh. David has never understood those scenes in films when someone is laughing at a funeral, but now he does. They laugh for a solid minute until they stop to catch their breaths. David begins to believe he's feeling better until...

"What the fuck are you doing here?" a familiar voice says. 

_ Now we're fucked _ , David thinks.

* * *

**_4 weeks earlier_ **

"We made progress in Alexander Hardenberg's case," Leonie says. "This gentleman's neighbour and girlfriend, Kiki Machwitz, was arrested today. She was a good friend of Mia Winter, and ex-girlfriend of Alexander. Your colleague," she points to Carlos, "saw Alexander and Kiki fighting in the night Mia was killed. Those are exciting news, because now we can blame it all on her in order to defend our client."

David glances at Carlos. He looks much calmer than he was ten minutes ago. Weird. He came here almost crying.

"However," Leonie continues, "Mr. Schmidt convinced me to take Ms. Machwitz’ case instead of Alexander's."

David's jaw falls open.

"We have a bail hearing tomorrow."

* * *

"Let's start, Miss Machwitz, and I want to assure you, the more honest you are, the bigger chance we have to win your case," Leonie says.

Leonie, her assistants, Kiki and the whole crew are sitting in the conference room. Kiki looks at Carlos, then at her lap, her foot is kicking the green carpet under her chair.

"Mia was my friend. We met in high school, I was pining after Alex, he was popular, rich and perfect. We dated for a while until I knew he was in love with Mia. I also learned he blackmailed her to go on a date with him while he still technically was with me. He dumped me on a New Year's Eve via a voice message. A month later I found him in Mia's bed."

Kiki sighs deeply and makes a pause.

"After that I hadn't talked to her until the end of school. Then she came to me a few months ago, saying that Alex is a bad person, and that he's beaten up a guy with his skateboard in front of her eyes. We made it up and started to talk again, but 2 weeks before she disappeared something had happened. She came to me in the middle of the night, completely wasted, crying, saying that she should have trusted Alex and that it wasn’t him who was a bad person. She spent next three days in my apartment, refusing to go outside and answer her phone and she never told me what had happened. I called her parents but they were busy travelling, so I had to call Alex. After that they got together again, and she seemed to be normal." 

Kiki finishes her story. 

"What were you arguing about with Alex the night Mia was killed?" Leonie asks. David doesn't miss Kiki looking at Carlos again as if she wants his approval. And Carlos is nodding.

"Alex came to me that night asking if Mia was at my place. They had a fight earlier and she didn't answer her phone again. He didn't say what their fight was about, but he was angry as fuck and kept repeating 'I will kill him'. When I said I didn't know what he was talking about, he started screaming that I'm a liar so I told him to get out. He left after that."

"Is that all?" Leonie asks and David can't say if she buys it. David totally didn't.

"Yes," Kiki wears her innocent eyes again.

"Why didn't you tell about that earlier? Carlos saw you that day but you obviously know it." David asks. "We talked about the case in the bar a week ago and you asked us who Mia was and then pretended to know nothing about it."

"I was scared," Kiki looks at him as if he just said something dumb. 

"Why be scared if you didn't do it?"

"Enough, Mr. Schreibner," Leonie looks annoyed, " Remember the first rule."

"We don't ask our clients if they are guilty," Sam whispers to David but loud enough for everyone to hear.

An hour later David presses Carlos against the wall in the bathroom, fists on his jacket. He catches flashes of fear in Carlos' eyes but they are gone in a second.

"What else are you two hiding?" David tries to sound frightening and strong while he's sure Carlos can easily free himself from his grip.

"Nothing," Carlos finally says but he looks away.

"Think again." 

"Or what? You will punch me?" 

"Maybe I will," but he lets Carlos go.

* * *

"You want us to do what?" David can't believe his ears.

"We spend the whole weekend in your apartment," Matteo hugs him from the left side and murmurs, "without phones and laptops and internet... C'mon, it will be fun."

"You're insane." 

"I just think you should relax. Your eye twitches every time you get a message from your Richter's six, doesn't matter whether it is about a new case or exams, or Mia," Matteo hugs him tighter, kissing his shoulder, "So I thought it will be a good idea just to turn off the real world and..."

David feels Matteo's lips on his neck, while his voice drops an octave.

"...cook dinner," a kiss on the jaw.

"...play cards," a kiss n the cheek.

"...have mind-blowing sex," a kiss under David's ear.

"...or smoke something interesting."

"Smoke something interesting, huh?"

"Oh, so that's what's most important for you," Matteo laughs.

They end up turning off their phones and  doing everything Matteo suggested .

* * *

After the weekend David feels like a new person. The whole next week he keeps his eye on  _ Kirlos _ \- the name Jonas and Hanna gave to their Bonnie and Clyde - he still thinks they are hiding something. At some point he even considers stealing Kiki's phone, but both times he meets her in the office, she never leaves it on the table.

* * *

"We should organize a study group," Amira says a week later.

"Exams are still in 6 weeks, we have plenty of time," Sam says.

"Hey, can't wait to spend even more time with you guys than I already do," David adds.

"What am I hearing, is it sarcasm?" Amira laughs. "I'm not fond of this idea too, but it's easier to meet up since we have the same schedule anyway."

"Also sharing notes usually helps," Hanna agrees.

"Carlos, Abdi, are you in?" 

"I'm in," Carlos says simply. David glares at him.

"Abdi?" Amira squints.

"I don't need a study group," Abdi says, "My father promised to give me previous years’ exam notes.”

"No way!" Sam's eyes are wide open.

"Perks of being the judge's son," David snorts.

"Will you share?" Sam asks.

"Will you go on a date with me?" 

"No!" 

"Then it's my answer too"

"Sam," Amira turns to Sam and places her hands on her shoulders, "We need those notes. You have to go out with Abdi."

"No!"

"C'mon, David slept with Matteo for emails," Hanna says. 

"What?" David chokes on air. "I didn't... It wasn't..."

"You don't even need to sleep with him, just go drink coffee, talk...," Hanna continues.

"I'm not dating with greedy manipulators," Sam disagrees. Amira sighs.

"You guys are aware I'm still here, right?" 

* * *

_ Richter's Six _

**_08:30_ ** _ Carlos: Guys I need to show you something _

**_08:31_ ** _ Carlos: But under one condition _

**_08:31_ ** _ Carlos: Keep David away from me before he punches me _

**_08:35_ ** _ Amira: why would David punch you? _

**_08:36_ ** _ Carlos: Because I was hiding something from you _

_**08:37 Sam:** What is it? :O _

* * *

**_2 weeks later_ **

"What the fuck are you doing here?" David hears Jonas' voice. 

_Now_ they're fucked, he thinks. Leonie will know, she will turn them in to the police. David will never see Matteo again. 

When nobody says anything, Hanna starts in a calm voice.

"Jonas. It's not what you think it is."

"So, it is not a dead body in a puddle of blood here?" Jonas sounds sarcastic.

He goes to the body to see who it belonged to. Then he looks up.

"He deserved that," Amira whispers. 

"What's the plan?" Jonas finally asks.

For a moment David thinks he misheard it. Others look surprised too.

"Please, tell me you came here in you car," David hears hope in his own voice.

"I don't have a car. I care about the environment," Jonas says casually like he didn't just find a dead body in his boss' office.

Amira groans. 

"I have a car," Sam suddenly says. "It's not mine, it's my brother's. I can borrow it."

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, who was killed? ;)


	6. What if he didn't do this?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Probably too many dialogs but who cares right?  
> Thank you stazyros for support and saving me from embarrassing amount of missed articles.

It's 8:30 and it's way too early for being awake on Saturday but David is on his way to Amira's place. They have their first group study thing today and Amira has plans later so they agreed to meet in the morning. When Amira opens the door of her small but cozy apartment, he sees Hanna and Sam, yawning, on the couch.

"We are waiting for Carlos," Amira says. "He wanted to show us something. Do you want coffee?"

"Oh, yes, please."

When Carlos arrives, 4 pairs of eyes look at him questioningly.

He sighs and produces a phone from his pocket.

"I have Mia's phone," he says, not looking anyone in the eyes.

"What?"

"What the fuck?!"

"Oh, my god!!!"

"Please, let me explain," Carlos says.

"Where did you get it?" Hanna asks.

"I found it in Kiki's flat. In a stash under the kitchen sink..."

"Not suspicious at all," David is full of sarcasm.

"Kiki doesn't know, or even if she knows, she didn't tell me anything."

"Shit..." Sam comments. "So your girlfriend lied to us  _ again. _ "

"Give it to me," Amira takes the phone and unlocks the screen. "There is a PIN code."

"How do you know it's Mia's phone?" David asks.

"I was at Kiki's place while she was in the shower, and then I heard it vibrating. I found the stash and answered the phone. Some guy said 'Mia?' so I asked if he was trying to call Mia. He said yes and then I hang up. I don't know what I was thinking."

"When was it?" Hanna asks.

"A couple of weeks ago. Right before Kiki was arrested."

"So you had possible proofs of the fact that your girlfriend probably killed her best friend all this time and never said about it? What's wrong with you, Carlos!" David suddenly has zero desire to study.

"I know she didn't do it," Carlos says, stubbornly. "Actually, I thought, maybe Matteo can help us with this phone?"

"Matteo is not doing this," David protests.

"David, please."

"It may contain evidence," Amira says.

"Okay, I'll ask him," David sighs.

* * *

_From Matteo_   
_**12:40** Still at Amira's?_

_To Matteo_   
_**12:41** Yeah, we are going through Leonie's questions and we have 3 other exams besides this one_

_From Matteo_   
_**12:42** I almost never see you >:(_   
_**12:42** You're only free at night but it's the only time when you can get some sleep_

_To Matteo_   
_**12:45** Maybe you will move in with me so you can see me more often? :)_

_From Matteo_   
_**12:50** I'll think about it 😉_

_To Matteo_   
_**12:51** I'm serious_

_From Matteo_   
_**12:51** Me too_

* * *

Later David comes home with Mia's phone burning his pocket. He agreed to ask Matteo about it but only because he really wants to know what happened to her. He really tries not to think about it right now though, because a couple of hours ago he asked Matteo to live with him and he wants to focus on this. It was an impulsive offer, but David doesn't regret it at all. He hopes, Matteo will agree. The thought of them moving in together is thrilling and makes David shiver. He cleans his flat and makes dinner for Matteo, using his own pasta recipe. David is not a genius cook, but he actually impressed Matteo with pancakes once and he is sure he can manage something as simple as pasta. When he is done, still smiling he opens contacts in his phone and finds his sister.

"Hey, David," Laura answers, "How is school?"

"Good," David says, "But, I don't have time at all, exams are soon and also we work almost 40 hours a week with professor Richter."

"Do you regret it?"

"No. It is such an important experience. Although it's exhausting sometimes. But no regrets."

"I'm happy for you," Laura says.

"Also…," David hesitates for a moment, "I met that guy during our first case..."

"No way," Laura whispers, pretending to be surprised. Then she laughs, "Let me guess, it is the guy from your instagram?"

"No! The instagram one is Abdi, my classmate," David says, "I haven't posted Matteo in insta yet."

"Mmm, Matteo, then," Laura's voice is curious. "Ah, he is cute."

"What?"

"I found him in your followers. Amount of memes he posts is fascinating," she chuckles.

"I'm thinking about inviting him to our Christmas family event."

"Do you like him?"

"I do. Very much."

"Then our family will like him too," Laura assures.

"Actually, I offered him to move in with me."

"Wow, everything is that serious?"

"Shut up, Laura," David laughs. "I hope he will say yes."

An hour later, when Matteo comes for dinner, the first thing he asks after kissing David is  _ Why does your sister follow me on instagram and facebook? _

* * *

"So," Matteo asks later, "do you still want me to live with you?" He looks almost shy.

"Depends on your answer," David smirks.

"Well, my room is prepaid till the end of the month, and then I can move here," Matteo says. "I'll talk with my roommates, I hope Hans will find someone fast."

"How long have you been living with Hans?"

"Actually, very long. I moved into the flatshare during my first university year and after that Hans, Linn and me changed three different apartments and a dozen of other roommates. Linn also left us once for six months so she could move in with her girlfriend, but then they broke up and she came back. We're like a family now."

"Wow, now I feel bad for taking you from them," David laughs.

"Don't be, Hans invites different guys almost every week and our walls are not soundproof at all, and Linn changes her hobbies every month, so you can always sit on acrylic paint on the couch in the living room, or accidentally step on a fishing hook and spend next week in hospital because of infection..."

"I promise, you will never step on a fishing hook in our living room."

"Aww, so sweet," Matteo mocks and kisses David on the cheek. "How was your study group?"

"Don't ask me," David groans.

"That bad?"

"No, not really, but Carlos came there with Mia's phone and said he found it in the stash! Under the sink! In Kiki's! Kitchen!" David punctuates every word waving his hands and does a facepalm in the end. "And now he wants you to hack the phone."

"Me?"

"I mean, I was against involving you but even Amira agreed that we have to try if we want to know what happened to Mia."

"Where is the phone?"

"Matteo. You don't have to do it," David promised himself earlier that he will stop using Matteo like that.

"I'm used to breaking the law for your cases at this point anyway."

* * *

Next day Richter's six, excluding Abdi, are sitting at Leonie's office. It's empty, because nobody is working on Sunday. Leonie comes later and she doesn't look pleased.

"You'd better have a good reason to call me on my first day off in a month," she says.

"Carlos will explain," David says.

"I found Mia's phone in Kiki's apartment," Carlos starts, "It was locked, but Matteo... David's boyfriend, helped us to hack it."

"I swear this case gives me a headache, Mr. Schmidt," Leonie says, rubbing her temple. "Why can't you do everything right?  _ I am _ her lawyer, you should have come to me with that! What did you find?"

"She received a few calls from some Björn, on the day she was killed. And a couple of days before that," David says. "We also tracked her location on that day, and she was at Kiki's. Her last location was a big park, in the center of the city, where she was found later."

"Yep. Definitely a headache," Leonie says to that.

"What are we gonna do next?" Hanna asks.

"First, Mr. Schmidt will bring me coffee," Leonie answers. "And then we'll find out who the fuck is Björn." 

* * *

"Mr. Hardenberg, do you recognize this man?" Leonie asks.

David, Leonie, Alexander and his new lawyer are in Leonie's conference room. Leonie shows them a picture of a tall white guy, a little older than David.

"Can you please tell me why you hit him with a skateboard multiple times three months ago?" Leonie asks again, when Alex doesn't say anything.

"My client is not answering this question," Alex' lawyer says.

"Answers to my questions can help your client, too," Leonie states.

David is watching Alex. He stares in Leonie's face with a bored expression.

"Okay," the lawyer nods to him.

"My sister died because of him," Alex says, nodding at the picture with disgust. "When I saw him talking with Mia, everything became red and I only remember people dragging me away from him later."

"Did Mia talk to him after that?" David asks.

"I don't know."

"We found Mia's phone," Leonie says. "We gave it to the police, they are working on the evidence now, but I can tell you what they will find there. Björn Quisling called her three times on the day she was murdered."

Alex' face tenses.

"The incident happened three months ago. Why did Mr. Quisling report getting beaten up by you to the police only two months after that?" David asks.

"Okay, that's enough," Alex' lawyer says. "Thank you for letting us know about the phone, though I'm sure the police would have managed to do it without you. Come on, Alexander."

"What's next?" David asks, when they're gone.

"We'll talk to Ms. Machwitz," Leonie says.

"She was lying to us from the start." 

"All clients lie, David," Leonie sighs. "That doesn't mean they are guilty."

"Have you ever defended a guilty client?" David asks curiously.

"Of course."

"How many of them got away with what they've done?"

" _ Too many _ . Because I'm an excellent lawyer. Now, please, tell Sara I ask her to organize a meeting with Ms. Machwitz."

* * *

**_2 weeks later_ **

David watches Amira cleaning the blood from the floor. He is standing here, looking at where Björn's body was 10 minutes ago, hypnotized, not able to move until Amira snaps her fingers.

"David!" she says, clearly not for the first time. "Are you gonna help me?"

"Yeah. Right." He joins her on the floor.

Then he stops. The thought comes as a storm, now when he is not panicking and his brain is not occupied by figuring out what they are gonna do with the dead person and freaking out about Matteo.

"What if he didn't do this? What if we killed an innocent man, Amira?" David says quietly, his face expressing fear.

"But he did," Amira says.

"You don't know that."

They continue cleaning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I think it was almost obvious that they killed Björn after the last chapter!  
> The next chapter will possibly come later because it is very important one and i'm trying to make it good


	7. I screwed up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: mentions of SA
> 
> Also want to warn that this chapter is different and timeline is a bit weird  
> Thanks stazyros for patience and fixing mistakes and thank you everyone who is reading and leaves lovely comments <3

**_23:40_ **

As they wrap the body into the green carpet they found in the conference room, David tries to get it together. Funny thing, he doesn't feel guilt. Fear, anxiety, doubts, tiredness, but not guilt. He doesn't feel it when they carry the body to the elevator, he doesn't feel it when he is cleaning the stupid bronze figure of Themis from Leonie's desk - the murder weapon, washing it with liquid soap three times and then cleaning it again with antiseptic wet wipes.

It hits him later, when everybody is waiting in Sam's brother's car, while David and Amira are finishing with the floor and fingerprints and it's suddenly too quiet in the office building and David's brain is trying to fill the silence with thoughts.

They assumed Björn killed Mia, but they never got any proof. And this thought suffocates David, makes his head spin and wakes a big urge to drop what he's doing and call the police.

He knows he would probably have done it already if not for Amira's gaze and her voice, too calm, too sober. She talks to David, she says that she is not going to prison for committing a major felony, that she knows who she is and she has  _ plans _ for her future career, marriage, and family, and  _ this _ (she snaps her fingers again) is not changing any of them.

And, honestly, David is envious. He wishes he was that determined and confident. 

The only thing that keeps him sane right now is Matteo. He can't lose him, not when he has just found him. Matteo's image in his head makes a nasty worm of guilt in his brain smaller, quieter.

"What are you gonna do if Mohammed finds out?" he asks Amira.

After a long pause Amira answers.

"He won't."

* * *

**_2 weeks earlier_ **

"We found Ms. Winter's phone," Leonie says looking in Kiki's eyes.

Kiki is silent, there is nothing on her face. Maybe for the thousandth time David thinks that she is terrifying. Not terrifying like Leonie, with her sparkling eyes and loud voice and an endearing habit to shout at her clients, but serial killer terrifying. He wonders if Carlos thinks the same. Maybe he is dating her only because he is afraid for his life. David shakes his head to get rid of the image of Kiki stabbing Carlos with a knife while he is asleep with the same innocent face she's wearing right now.

"Well, Mr. Schmidt did," Leonie continues.

Kiki's eyes dart to Carlos.

"Why didn't you tell us you had Mia's phone?" Carlos asks. David can almost see Carlos' slow death in Kiki's eyes. Wow, his imagination is really going wild today.

"Because of the same reason I didn't tell you that Mia was my friend," Kiki answers.

"You're gonna go to jail for committing a murder if you won't tell us the truth," Leonie says.

"Okay."

"Let's start then. Who is Björn?"

"He was the guy Alex hit with a skateboard. Mia broke up with him after that and she visited Björn in hospital. That day when she came to me absolutely devastated she saw him again. They drank together and they went to some club and then he tried to initiate sex with her. She ran away but he took pictures of her. She tried to report sexual assault but he said he would send pictures to Alex and report the skateboard incident."

"Why was Mia's phone hidden in your kitchen?" Leonie continues with her questions.

"The day she died she was going to meet Björn again. She was at my place before she went to meet him. A few hours later Alex barged into my flat, trying to find her. When I kicked him out, I called her, but she didn't pick up. I was worried, so I went to her place, then to that park they were going to meet with Björn in. I kept calling her and then I heard her phone ringing in the bushes. She must have dropped it at some point. I took it home and hid it when the police found the body."

David thinks he hears how Leonie groans but blames his imagination.

* * *

**_01:58_ **

"Where are we going?" David asks.

Sam is driving, Hanna is navigating in the passenger seat, while David, Amira and Jonas are sitting uncomfortably in the back seat of the car, too close to each other. Björn is resting peacefully in the trunk.

"My dad's cabin," Hanna answers. "There is no one, only a house, a lake and the woods. Nearest neighbours are miles away."

They keep driving in silence until Sam breaks down and turns on the radio.

"I don't know how about you guys, but I can't stand the silence," she explains.

David wants to laugh for the 10th time this night. Everything is so ridiculous that it must be unreal. Maybe he is sleeping in Matteo's embrace right now and this all is just a nightmare. He is ready to freak out again when Amira takes his hand and squeezes it.

"Breathe," she says.

Finally David calms down. He would be touched by Amira's care if he wasn't so sure she is doing it exclusively for herself.

* * *

**_1 week earlier_ **

"So Hans is throwing a goodbye party for me," Matteo says. "He is going to hang 'Won't ever come back" posters with butterflies on them. Wanna come?"

"I'm not sure I will have time, sorry." David answers. "But we can make our own housewarming party, when you finally move in. Just you and me. I promise I will find time to make dinner with you in  _ our _ kitchen."

"Okay, I'll take it," Matteo smiles.

"Wait, butterflies?" 

"Yeah, that's kind of my nickname. Butterfly," Matteo blushes and runs his hand through his hair.

"That's weird," David says.

"How does your sister call you?"

"David, or 'my little brother'."

"Boring."

"Better boring than butterfly," David snorts.

Matteo pretends to be offended. He throws a pillow at David and then attacks David's side to tickle him. David fights back and then they are a mess of tangled limbs, both laughing and  neither having enough strength to win .

David loves those childish fights they have and he loves Matteo. Later, when they both calm down and watch TV together, Matteo's head on David's shoulder, his hand is caressing David's leg, David thinks he has never been happier than right now.

* * *

**20:50**

_From Carlos_  
_**20:36** I think we know how to get proof that Bjorn is a murderer_

David groans. He is at Amira's place, they are trying to study. Well, they did try until Carlos' message popped up.

“Call him,” - Hanna insists. 

They call Carlos and he explains his plan: Kiki wrote to Björn and said she knows what he's done and offered to meet in Leonie's office at 22:00. It's Friday evening, so nobody is here. Kiki will tell Björn everything she knows and make him confess he killed Mia while recording this on her phone under the table.

"That's the worst plan I've ever heard," David says when Carlos finishes.

"We should go there and make sure everything will be okay," Amira says.

David groans again. He could swear, sometimes he thinks he's the only one in the team who has braincells.

* * *

**_02:27_ **

"So, what's next? We just make a huge fire and put the body right in there?" Sam asks.

"Yes, that's the plan," Hanna answers.

"Okay, let's do it."

Next half an hour they are making a fire in the woods, not far away from Hanna's dad's cabin.

"It feels like a school hiking trip," Amira chuckles, when the fire is lighted. They are standing around it, and David admits, he wouldn't mind roasting some marshmallows if only his stomach could handle food right now.

"Let's make barbecue," Jonas jokes but nobody laughs.

They carry the body and place it into the fire carefully. David watches the green carpet burning and suddenly he feels sick.  _ There is no way back now. _

* * *

**_21:45_ **

"What are you doing here?"

David and the crew find Kiki and Carlos in the office. It's empty, as Carlos promised.

"We came here to help," Amira answers.

"Okay," Carlos says. "The plan is simple, Kiki is waiting for Björn here and I was going to hide in that room," he points at the door to another room, "But I think we can all fit in there."

* * *

**_03:30_ **

The fire is almost gone, so is the body. David is tired but they need to do a few more things.

David and Jonas chop what used to be Björn a few hours ago with a shovel and David thinks that with every hit something dies inside him. He wonders if Jonas feels the same, the guy's been deadly calm all the time. 

They pack remains into trash bags.

On the way back they are silent, not even the radio is playing. David feels exhausted. More than anything he wants to go home, take a shower, slip into bed and forget about everything that happened today. If only he could sleep after that.

They throw the remains in a trash bin of some McDonald’s in the suburbs.

"Everybody remembers the story?" Amira breaks the silence when they are close to her place.

"We were studying all evening, until it was too late to go home, so me and Sam passed out on your couch," David says.

"Jonas came to walk me home at 11 pm," Hanna adds.

"What about the car?" Jonas asks.

"I'll return it before my brother wakes up, he wouldn't even notice," Sam says.

David’s phone vibrates.

_From Carlos_  
_**05:05** Hey, is everything all right there?_

_To Carlos_  
_**05:06** Yes. Meeting at 10 at Amira's._  
_**05:07** Is Kiki ok?_

_From Carlos_  
_**05:07** She's asleep_

David chuckles nervously. He wants to sleep so badly but there is no way he could do it now. Kiki really is something.

* * *

**_2 days earlier_ **

"The trial is in a week, and you are all look like zombies," Leonie says looking at Richter's six. "Even you, Mr. Ates"

"My father is Mister Ates," Abdi mutters.

David agrees, they really look bad. Trying to catch up with the studies, working after classes, preparing to exams: all of them have bags under their eyes. David doesn't remember when was the last time he slept more than 5 hours.

"Anyway, what is our strategy?" professor Richter asks.

"Björn Quisling will be our main defence witness," Abdi says. "He is a rapist and he was the last person Mia saw before she died, so we will get the jury on our side."

"Do we have a list of questions for Mr. Quisling?"

"We are working on that," David says.

"Work faster, the questions should be on my desk today."

When the meeting is over, David is tired.

"You guys really look like zombies," Abdi comments.

"Thanks to you," Amira mutters.

"I said I would share notes."

"If I went on a date with you, yeah, we know," Sam rolls her eyes. "That's blackmailing."

"No, this is a mutually beneficial cooperation."

"Anyway, it's too late, I don't even have time to sleep, let alone date," Sam says.

"Okay, I need to confess," Abdi says. "We had a fight with my father and therefore I don't have notes, so I thought maybe I can join you guys?"

David feels like laughing, but doesn't have energy for that.

"Fuck you, Abdi," Carlos says.

Abdi snorts.

"Guys, I feel like our strategy is falling apart," Hanna says some time later. "I mean we can accuse Björn of killing Mia but we don't even have evidence. His phone was turned off, so we can't track his location, and we know he called Mia but is it enough for the jury? On the other hand we have Kiki and Alex and while Alex has money and alibi, Kiki has none of that."

"Kiki doesn't have a motive," David disagrees, though he is not so sure himself. Hanna has a point.

"What if we get the evidence?" Carlos asks.

"How?"

"I don't know yet."

* * *

**_22:05_ **

"Don't forget to turn recording on," Amira says to Kiki.

"I know," Kiki answers.

"You remember what to say?" Carlos asks, concerned.

"Yes, Carlos."

"I still think it is a bad idea," David says.

"I will fish confession out of him." Kiki says.

Ten minutes later they are standing behind the door of a small room, David's ear is pressed to the door, Carlos, holding his breath, is looking through a tiny gap between the door and the wall. David feels nervous, when he hears the sound of the elevator and steps.

"Anybody here?" Björn asks.

"Hi, I'm Kiki. Mia's friend."

"Oh, hi," David can't see him, but he sounds friendly. And confused. "You said, you know everything. Sounds really intriguing, huh?"

"I know what you've done with her," Kiki says.

"Oh, that? Please, let me explain. Mia got it all wrong. She was drunk and I only wanted to help."

"I'm not talking about the sexual assault," Kiki says. "I'm talking about what you did to her after that."

"She was going to report, what should I've done? I had to protect myself, that's why I blackmailed her."

"You killed her," Kiki says, ice in her voice.

"What?" Björn sounds surprised. "No, I didn't kill her."

"She went to see you in the park and later she was found dead there." David can say Kiki starts to lose her self control. Wow, that's something new.

"We met, and she said she was going to the police and she didn't care if I report Alex or send him those pictures. After that we said goodbye to each other and I actually sent those pictures to Alex and went to the police."

David hears a sigh of frustration coming from Amira behind his back. Of course. David knew that was a bad plan. Björn is not that stupid to confess committing a murder just like that.

"Look, I don't know who killed Mia, but it wasn't me."

"I know you're lying," Kiki doesn't get confused. "She told you she was going to the police and you killed her."

"No, I didn't. Why are we meeting here?" suddenly Björn's voice is suspicious. David feels cold shiver down his spine. The guy is definitely not stupid. "Why are we in this office? Who works here?"

David hears steps.

"Leonie Richter," Björn, obviously, reads from the nameplate on the door. "Is it that lawyer? Are you recording me? Trying to make me confess?"

Björn's voice sounds almost hysterical now.

David looks at Carlos. His eyes are wide.

Then, everything happens in flashes.

_ Carlos opens the door. _

_ David sees Björn's hands on Kiki's throat. _

_ Sam screams. _

_ David and Amira try to get Björn away. _

_ Sam throws herself on Björn's back, dragging him by his hair until he releases Kiki and wobbles back, trying to get himself out of Sam's grip. _

_ Sam releases Björn and pushes him forward hard. He stumbles and falls down, his head hitting the edge of the office desk. _

_ He doesn't move. _

* * *

Kiki is trying to catch her breath.

"Shit," Hanna stutters. "Y-You killed him"

"No, no, no, no, no," Sam looks horrified.

"What have you done?" David whispers.

Kiki leans over Björn's body and touches his pulse. Suddenly, Björn opens his eyes, and a moment later Kiki is falling down, Björn crashing on her, his hands are on her neck again.

David doesn't have time to react when he hears a loud thud.

Kiki inhales loudly.

Blood is straining from Björn's head, lots of blood, covering Kiki's face, neck, shirt.

Carlos stands there with the bronze Themis figure from Leonie's desk, his eyes are full of terror.

Kiki is trapped under Björn's body and David is helping her to get out of there.

A sound of a murder weapon falling on the floor from Carlos' hands.

David finds himself unable to breathe, eyes shut, the world is spinning.

Amira is calling his name. Amira is shaking him.

Sam is crying.

David thinks he is having a panic attack.

* * *

Matteo can't sleep. He's been tossing and turning all night, but it feels wrong to sleep in David's bed when he's not here. Well, technically it is his bed too now and he would be thrilled by this thought at any other time, but not now when David ditched him for study. Matteo wonders, how many times David will choose his career over him? How many more dinners and special moments he will miss because he needs to work or to flirt information out of people in bars.

Every time Matteo ends up feeling selfish, he doesn't have rights to be mad at David, he got a chance to know him pretty well during the last months and he knows this law school is everything for him. But he can't sleep and thoughts go in a circle and when he finally gets up and opens his phone to check the time, it's half past 2 and David is not home yet.

Matteo sighs and types a message.

_To David_  
_**02:35** Hey, did you fall asleep at Amira's?_

He waits a minute but blue ticks don't appear next to it.

_To David_  
_**02:37** Everything okay? Can't sleep, call me_

He sighs again and goes to the kitchen, makes himself a cup of tea and plops on the couch in the living room. He turns the TV on, aimlessly switches between channels until he finds some old film. He doesn't really pay attention to it though, his mind is going through all possible scenarios of why David is not answering. Maybe he was hit by a car or ended up in some party with other students.

It's almost 6am when Matteo hears a key in the lock and then David opens the door. He startles when he sees Matteo, like a deer caught in headlights. Matteo opens his mouth to ask where the fuck he had been, but then he notices how awful David looks. There is dirt on his jeans and a big dark spot on his jacket sleeve. He looks exhausted, and... scared? Matteo closes his mouth and frowns.

Still saying nothing, David takes his jacket off, and looks at it for a few seconds before dropping it. Then he slides down to the floor and just sits there.

"Hey, what happened?" Matteo stands up and comes closer.

"I screwed up. I screwed up so much. I screwed up. I screwed up, Matteo."


	8. His alibi wasn't confirmed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wow sorry for being late  
> This chapter is kinda angsty but would you believe me if i said "nah guys everything is good"?  
> Also yay finally a chapter without timeline jumping for the sake of dramatic effect. 
> 
> Thank you stazyros for helping me in the war against prepositions and articles <3  
> Also thank you guys for your lovely comments!
> 
> Next one will probably the last one but I'm not really sure because i'm so bad at endings. wish me luck to finish it decently lol

David opens the door as quietly as he can, hoping to slip inside and take a shower before Matteo wakes up.

What he doesn't expect is that Matteo is not sleeping, sitting on the couch, hugging a pillow, TV is playing in the background.

For a moment David's heart stops. Matteo opens his mouth and closes it again. Then he raises his eyebrow. After agonizing 20 seconds of silence David finally closes the door and takes his jacket off. Only then he notices the blood on his sleeve. Not just drops of blood, no, a huge brown spot. He drops the jacket on the floor and slides down right there, head resting on the door.

"Hey, what happened?" Matteo finally breaks the silence. He looks worried.

David wants to tell him so badly that he spent the night getting rid of a dead body, that he is going to jail for that, but all that comes out of his mouth is

"I screwed up." 

Matteo comes closer.

"I screwed up so much, I screwed up."

Now, when he is finally home, all night events are crashing on him with a cruel wave of realization.

"I screwed up, Matteo," he feels tears falling from his eyes and Matteo hugging him, holding him close, surrounding him with the warmth of his embrace.

Somehow it only makes everything worse.

  
  


* * *

When David calms down, he still doesn't know what he is going to tell Matteo. 

He ignores his questions and goes to the shower, brushes his teeth, washes the sleeve of his jacket, throws dirty clothes into the laundry basket. He doesn't really have energy to clean everything now. When he is done, he hesitates to leave the bathroom, because Matteo's blue worried eyes are waiting for him there. He doesn't know what to say. He can't do it.

He looks in the mirror: his eyes are red, framed with dark circles. David is almost sure the moment Matteo will look in them, he will know everything. It takes him 10 more minutes to finally go outside.

There is a smell of coffee in the apartment and David, to his surprise, founds Matteo in the kitchen, making breakfast.

Avoiding Matteo's eyes he slowly enters the kitchen and sits at the counter.

Matteo sets a plate with fried eggs and coffee in front of him. David remembers that the last thing he ate was his lunch yesterday. He has no appetite though, but still carefully tries to eat a small bite just to check if his stomach can take it. Surprisingly, it can. He takes a sip of his coffee and only then dares to look up at Matteo quickly. Matteo is drinking coffee too, watching David mindfully.

"Feel better?" Matteo asks when David finishes his breakfast.

"Uh, yeah," David answers. His voice is weak and he doesn't really believe in it himself. 

"Tell me what was that?" Matteo asks quietly.

"I... It's… " That's everything David manages to say. He swallows and looks up again.

Matteo makes eye contact with David, and the latter averts his eyes again. Instead, he checks his phone: 3 messages from Carlos, 2 messages from Sam, one missed call from Amira. He looks at the time: it's 8:40, he promised to be at Amira's place at 10, so they could talk about what happened.

"David," Matteo says softly.

"You know," David gets up, "I have to go, Leonie gave us extra work for the weekend and we're meeting at Amira's place."

"Wait, now? You just came home..." 

"We’ll talk later, I promise," David says as he stumbles, trying to put his shoes on.

Matteo doesn't have time to say anything and David already rushes out of the flat, closing the door.

He walks fast for solid ten minutes, not paying attention where he goes.

_ Great, David _ , he thinks.  _ Run away, as you always do. Amazing plan. _

  
  


* * *

When David arrives to Amira, there are Carlos and Kiki already in her place. Kiki looks almost good comparing to the others.

"I'm filling the guys in," Amira says. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," he says. "Took a shower and even ate breakfast."

"Matteo?" Amira asks.

David thinks about the mix of anger, worry and relief on Matteo's face when David opened the door. Matteo, taking David's shoes off, leading him to the couch and holding him close while David was sobbing into his chest. Matteo's hands stroking David's hair, Matteo's lips whispering  _ It's okay, I'm here  _ into David's temple and kissing his forehead. Matteo, asking what happened. Confusion in his eyes when David left him. 

He decides to keep it to himself for now. They don't need more problems right now.

"He was sleeping. I slipped out before he woke up," David lies. If Amira doesn’t believe him, she doesn't show it.

Hanna arrives next.

“I bought coffee for you guys,” she announces. “Black for David, almond milk for Amira, cappuccino for Carlos, Kiki, black for you because I don’t really know how you drink it…”

“It’s okay as long as it is vegan,” Kiki says. “Thank you.”

"That was a tough night," Hanna shrugs. "I thought you might need this."

"Where is Jonas?" David asks.

"He went home."

"What's wrong with this guy?" Amira asks. "He came in, saw the body, and then helped to burn it without a word. What was he even doing there?"

"Hanna called him," David is suddenly hit by the guess. 

"You did what?!" Carlos asks.

"We needed someone... sober, you know," Hanna explains. "David was in panic, Sam had a breakdown, Amira was busy calming them both down, Kiki was shocked and you had just killed a person and was going to go to the police and confess. So when I went to the bathroom, I called Jonas and told him what happened."

"I can't believe it," Amira says, "What were you thinking? What if he turned us in?"

"To be honest, it was quite hard to think. But we can trust him," Hanna says. David wonders, if he can trust Matteo.

Sam arrives the last and announces that she has returned the car successfully.

"What now?" she asks. 

"We can prepare for exams since yesterday we didn't have such opportunity," David jokes.

  
  


* * *

David comes home a few hours later and finds Matteo sleeping in their bedroom, to his great relief. He tried to come up with a convincing story on his way home, but his brain seemed to stop working, probably due to the lack of sleep.

David gets into bed, hugs Matteo from the back and instantly falls asleep.

He wakes up next morning, after sleeping for almost 16 hours. Matteo is not in the apartment, and David finds a note instead.

"I have to help my mom. Will be home at 12."

Cursing himself, David leaves home before 12. He receives a message from Matteo later, saying "Seriously?"

* * *

When he comes home in the evening, Matteo is more annoyed than worried.

"You said we will talk," he says.

"Yes," David says.

"What happened yesterday, David?"

"It's nothing."

"Yeah, sure," Matteo snorts.

When David sighs, Matteo's face softens. He approaches David, hugging him from the back, placing his head on David's shoulder. David takes a second to appreciate the fact he and Matteo are the same height.

"You don't have to tell me right now if you don't want to," Matteo says, almost whispers into David's ear. "I'm just worried. You- You really scared me."

"Sorry," David says back. "It won't happen again."

"I want you to talk to me," Matteo mumbles to the back of his neck. "Not to run away from me."

The rest of the day they spend watching TV and cuddling. They order pizza for dinner and when Matteo gets offended by his choice, rolling his eyes and saying that pizza with pineapples is not a real pizza and David is laughing at him, he almost feels  _ normal _ . They don't bring up the cursed night again and David goes to sleep relieved.

* * *

On Monday David wakes up to 12 missed calls from every Murder Crew member.

First message he sees is "SHIT DAVID PICK UP YOUR DAMN PHONE" from Amira.

When he calls back, he hears annoyed "Finally".

"The police found the freaking body," Amira hisses into David's ear. "I sent you a link to the news."

David's heart stops.

"They don't have a suspect yet," Amira says quickly, probably feeling that David is gonna freak out. 

"Yet," David echoes slowly.

"Leonie is waiting for us in an hour in the office." 

David groans. He didn't expect to come back to the crime scene so fast. Amira sighs.

"Look, it's not so bad..."

* * *

"It's so fucking bad!!!" Leonie is furious when David makes it to the office. 

"Hi, what happened?" Abdi appears behind David's back. 

"Our main defence line is dead!" Leonie says. "The trial is in two days!"

"What?" Abdi's jaw nearly falls to the floor.

"The police found Bjorn's body in the trash today. Cause of death - blunt force trauma to the head," Sara says. "Then he was burned, dismembered and packed into trash bags."

"Holy shit," Abdi says. It comes to David's mind that everyone else is too emotionless. 

He looks at Sam whose eyes are glued to the floor, to the same place their defence line was lying a few days ago.

"We need to work fast," Leonie says. "First - find a new suspect."

David shudders when he hears the word "suspect". It takes him a few moments to remember they are talking about Kiki's case.

"What about Alexander Hardenberg?" Jonas asks. David finds his eyes, but they are serious and unreadable.

"Considering the amount of money his father has, it will be tough," Leonie says. Then she sighs. "But we can try. Mr. Schmidt, coffee. Sara, everything we have on Alexander. Mr. Schreibner, stop dreaming and come back to earth. We need your boyfriend's skills."

"Matteo doesn't work here," David protests weakly. No, he can't involve him into this. 

"What a pity, so far he's been more useful than you all together. Maybe I should fire you six and hire him," Leonie snaps back. 

When the meeting is over, Sam looks at them smiling.

"My brother's car was stolen today’s morning," she says quietly.

"Maybe he should report it," Jonas says nonchalantly and gets back to his work. 

David doesn't miss how corners of his lips lift just a little. Son of a bitch has taken care of this. Maybe Hanna was right that she called him. The car was probably full of evidence.

"Hey, do you think the conference room looks different?" Abdi says suddenly.

"No?" Amira says quickly.

"No, I'm sure something is different," Abdi says stubbornly. 

Then it hits David.  _ The carpet _ . If Abdi noticed, who else? 

"The carpet is gone," Jonas says. David opens his eyes so wide, he thinks they might fall out. 

_ What the fuck _ he thinks. He shoots Hanna a look. She raises her eyebrow and David reads it like  _ We should trust him _ , but he is not sure.

"Right! There was a green carpet!" Abdi grins.

"Leonie asked me to check security cameras," Jonas says, "to find out where it’s gone."

David feels cold spreading down his spine. Security cameras. How could they be so stupid. No, no, no, no, David doesn't want to think about that. Oh god, they are so fucked.

"...But I think cameras weren't working at the weekend, so I guess we will never know," Jonas continues casually.

David hears Amira choking on the air and then masking it with a cough. 

* * *

"Leonie wants me to hack the prosecutor's email?" Matteo asks, surprised. "That is not the same as hack some random person’s email."

"As I always say, you don't have to do this," David says.

"What are you looking for?"

"Our... uh.. main witness is dead. We have two days before the trial and Leonie wants to know what evidence the prosecution has against Kiki and what witnesses they're gonna call. Maybe we will manage to discredit them."

"Okay," Matteo says simply.

"Okay?"

"I'm doing it if you tell me what happened the other night," with that Matteo opens his laptop and starts typing.

"I can't," David says weakly.

"David, I'm not stupid," Matteo says not averting his eyes from the screen. "You came home at 6 am, in dirty clothes, smelling like fire. And today’s morning you looked like you saw a ghost after that call from Amira. All I want is... Please, just tell me it has nothing to do with your main witness being killed exactly on the night of your breakdown, so I will calm down..."

David doesn't listen. His heart is beating so fast he can barely breath. Has Matteo just connected the dots? Of course he has. As he said, he is not stupid.

"David?" 

"W-What?" David jumps.

"Didn't you hear me? I said it seems like the prosecution also is preparing charges against Alexander Hardenberg. His alibi wasn't confirmed. He said he came home after his fight with Kiki, but they checked the computer in his car and it showed that he drove right to that park where Mia was with your dead guy. Does it sound like good news for you?"

David freezes. His brain tries to process the information he just heard.  _ Alex' alibi wasn't confirmed. He drove right to that park where Mia was with your dead guy. _ Matteo's words are echoing loudly in his head.

"Now, that look again. You look like you are gonna pass out right here," Matteo says, bitterness in his voice. "Please tell me what happened."

"Oh my god," David says quietly. "He said he didn't kill her. It was Alex."

For the first time in days he looks in Matteo's eyes. 

"Matteo, I might be going to jail," he whispers.

  
  



	9. Because everybody deserves a second chance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow it took me so long to finish this fic and i'm sorry for this, because i myself hate when in progress fics that are usually updated regularly suddenly go into the void.
> 
> this is the first multi chapter fic i finished and that wasn't easy. idk if other authors cry when they finish their fics but i did. maybe that was the reason why i was struggling with this chapter, i just didn't want to say goodbye. :'(
> 
> thank you for your comments, they all were so sweet and encouraging to write more! <3
> 
> thank you stazyros for your patience while dealing with my english abilities during all these weeks <333

Matteo always considered himself a smart person. His brain works fast enough to connect the dots. In retrospect he can say that he knew everything from the moment he saw David's face that morning. But it's one thing - being smart and using your logic and another - admitting to yourself that the person you love did something horrible. It is almost impossible to listen to common sense when you have feelings. 

And Matteo has many different feelings about David. 

Matteo feels butterflies in his stomach when David is smiling with all his teeth at him, and he feels happy when David's eyes sparkle when he is talking about one of the famous old cases they are currently studying in class, and he feels safe when David makes him tea and kisses his cheek, and Matteo feels hot all over when David kisses his neck, pinning him to the wall in the living room because he is impatient and can't wait another 10 seconds to enter the bedroom. 

All these feelings were the reason why Matteo decided to ignore the smell of fire on David's favorite jacket, and dirty clothes in the laundry basket, and the color of David's face, or - to be more accurate - lack of color, when he read the news about a dead burned body. Feelings were the reason why Matteo kept asking questions, simultaneously wanting to know the answers and wanting David to give him any excuse or explanation.

So Matteo decides to bring this topic up again casually, as a joke, and now he regrets every word because David’s face is very pale again and... is Matteo hearing  _ I might be going to jail _ ?

"Matteo..." David starts.

The world is suddenly spinning and Matteo is not sure he can take what David is going to say.

"Wait," he says. "If you are involved in something criminal, I don't want to know about it."

David closes his mouth and raises his eyes from the floor, looking surprised, confused and almost relieved.

"I mean, if I know, that makes me an accomplice, right?" 

David nods. Matteo chuckles nervously.

"To be honest I was hoping that you will say you're not involved and that night you just were on drugs or something."

"I'm sorry," David says quietly. "This guy... Björn... He attacked Kiki. And then everything went wrong. I'm so sorry."

"Did you?..." Matteo can't bring himself to say did you kill the guy.  _ I don't need to know _ , he remembers.

"No," David says quickly. "I just helped to get rid of the..."

David can't finish his sentence, too. He looks miserable and Matteo hugs him.

"If you go to the police, I won't blame you, you know," David mumbles into Matteo's chest.

"I... need to think about it." Matteo really does but he already knows the answer.

The butterflies are still here when David holds his hand and squeezes it gently, and the feeling of happiness doesn't go anywhere when David kisses his shoulder through the sweater Matteo knows his favorite (and this is the only reason Matteo is wearing this sweater today even though it is warm enough in the apartment), and he wants David to feel safe with him when Matteo makes him tea, and he still feels hot when later in bed David kisses him desperately as if he thinks that it's his last chance to kiss Matteo.

He won't go to the police. He is not putting David in jail.

* * *

**_2 days later_ **

David is in the courtroom, watching Leonie defending Kiki. 

"Your Honour, this is evidence that Alexander Hardenberg went straight to the park where Mia Winter was with Björn Quisling. Earlier he got a voice message from Mia. Please, play the recording."

When the voice message starts playing, David recognizes Mia's voice immediately.

_ Stop calling me, Axel. I'm meeting with Björn in Central Park and I don't care if he reports you, it is about me, not you. _

"Here," Leonie continues, "is proof that Alexander went to this park after he received this voice message."

Leonie gives copies of the location track Matteo found earlier to the judge and the prosecutor.

"This is a copy of messages between Björn and Alexander, in which Björn sends Alex pictures of Mia. Please, look at the timing. It was 20 minutes after Mia's voice message and right before Alex arrived in the park. That means Mia and Björn already finished their conversation at thas moment."

David hears Carlos swallowing nervously next to him. He kind of regrets how he was treating him earlier. 

"This is a testimony of Mia's neighbour, who saw my client knocking at Mia's door at this very time. When my client arrived in the park 28 minutes later, she found Mia's phone." Leonie makes a dramatic pause. "Yes, my client kept the phone because she was scared. Scared of Alexander Hardenberg, who had killed his girlfriend with his bare hands and then killed his only evidence - Björn Quisling. Scared of his connections and his parents’ money!"

When Leonie is done, David looks at Amira and thinks that her eyes are shining a little bit too much for the events of the last days.

When the jury returns from deliberations and announces that Kiki is not guilty, David feels big relief and he smiles for the first time since that damned Friday.

He sees Carlos hugging Kiki and Amira hugging Sam and he is glad for them, really. 

But something feels really wrong. 

* * *

"This was the weirdest and the most stressful case in my career," Leonie gives them a speech later, when they gather in her office. "And once I had to defend a person who had killed both his wives in a span of 5 years using the same murder weapon!"

Everybody laughs politely.

"But this case I will probably use in my lectures. Everything! Everything had been going wrong starting with Mr. Schreibner's weird emotional connection to the victim, which wasn't letting him work properly, continuing with Mr. Schmidt's relationship with our client which, I need to say, was really unprofessional, thanks God you're not a real lawyer, and finishing with a mysterious murder of our main suspect, which I of course tried to hang on Alexander Hardenberg, but I bet nobody buys this."

David's heart stops for a second. Leonie _ knows. _

"Do you think Alex didn't kill Björn?" Abdi asks curiously.

"What I think, Mr. Ates, doesn't matter, the only important thing here is what I have to do to defend my client."

_ She knows. She knows. She knows. _

"But if it makes you feel better, he will get a major prison time for what he's done regardless of his involvement in burning Mr. Quisling's body."

Leonie looks at the crew now and David shivers. _ She knows. _

* * *

**_1 week later_ **

Matteo, the Murder Crew and Abdi are in David's apartment, celebrating, if they can afford this word, many things at the same time: winning Kiki's case, Matteo moving in with David and the last study weeks before the exams. All of them are drinking beer, except Amira, she is sipping her mate tea.

"So, that Alex guy killed his girlfriend, and two months later he killed the guy who was the reason he’d killed his girlfriend?" Matteo asks. David tenses.

"That's right!" Abdi grins, "And I'm going to his trial to see how justice will be served. The bastard is gonna get a lifetime!" 

"For justice," Matteo says with a smile, and his eyes find David's. David relaxes, because those beautiful blue eyes tell him that Matteo won't turn them in. Not right now, at least.

"For justice!" Abdi says and raises his beer. David smiles too and raises his. 

When David goes to the kitchen to get a new beer, Amira joins him by the fridge. 

"Matteo knows," she whispers. It is not a question, so David doesn't see the point to deny it. He nods.

"He won't tell anyone," he says quietly. "But even if he was going to, I wouldn't stop him. You know we don't deserve all this."

David gestures at the direction of the living room where their friends are having fun, Matteo and Carlos are laughing at some Abdi's joke, Hanna, Sam and Kiki chatting about their families. Everything looks too normal.

He means what he said. He knows that deep inside Amira knows he's right, because she doesn't argue. 

"This looks so cool," she changes the topic, pointing at a small drawing of a bird, pinned to the fridge door with a magnet. "Is it yours?"

"Uh.. yes, I draw sometimes," David says. "I haven't done it since I started law school because I don't have time. This is one of my old drawings, from high school. Matteo found it when we were rearranging my things to empty some drawers for him."

"This bird is beautiful," Amira says. "You should draw more often."

"He really should," Matteo appears at David's side. "Did you see his instagram for drawings?"

"What drawings?" Sam asks from the couch.

Next half an hour David watches his friends discussing his drawings. David shows them his old sketchbook and they all respect his reluctance to show them clipped pages. Matteo's cheeks are pink when everybody compliments David, because he is really proud of him. 

When everyone is gone, Matteo looks content. But it doesn't last long.

"That was the most normal day of the last week," he says, when they lie in bed, preparing for sleep. "Your friends don't look like they're able to kill a person."

With that Matteo starts laughing.

"And now we all drink beer and celebrate that another person will go to jail for this," Matteo says between hysterical laughs.

"I don't know how to live with that," he says some time later when he stops laughing and takes control on his breath.

"I don't know either," David answers.

Later, David can't sleep. He keeps thinking about Leonie and that she possibly knows. He didn't tell Matteo about that, because he has enough stress and he doesn't have to know that the police can arrest David at any time. Maybe right now. He closes his eyes and waits.

* * *

**_A month later_ **

Christmas comes but David doesn't go home and doesn't bring Matteo with him as he promised. Not because he doesn't want to. It's just David's mother's heart wouldn’t be able to take it if David is arrested right in the middle of a family Christmas dinner. 

So he stays with Matteo during the Christmas break and tries to enjoy every minute they have. Matteo invites him to a "family" dinner to his ex flatshare and David finally meets Hans, Linn and Victoria - the person who now lives in Matteo's room.

Hans spends the evening talking about the times Matteo just came out and Hans became his gay guru.  _ And look at you now, my butterfly, _ he says fondly. David has to admit, they have pretty much a sibling relationship.

When it's time to give presents, David gives Matteo a framed drawing of them on their first date, sitting in the cafe, looking at each other and smiling. He worked on it secretly during the last week. 

"I want you to have a reminder about that time when we just met and everything was new and nothing bad had happened," David says shyly and waits for Matteo's reaction. 

Matteo kisses him and presents his gift: a new sketchbook.

"I noticed you started to draw... things... on napkins and your notebook margins," Matteo says and blushes. He runs his hand through his hair, as he always does when he is nervous. For some reason David finds it very endearing.

So he kisses Matteo back and later he draws the first sketch in his new sketchbook: Matteo, blush on his cheeks and hand in his hair.

Exams come after the Christmas break. David and Amira pass them all excellently. Carlos, expectedly, fails most of them. David doesn't judge him. 

Sam, Abdi and Hanna pass exams with very average grades. Leonie looks disappointed, but she doesn't say anything.

Instead, she announces that Alex got 15 years for murdering Mia.

"What about Björn?" Abdi asks.

"His death is still a mystery," Leonie says.

Only now David notices that Themis bronze statue is missing from Leonie's desk. He tries hard not to think about the murder weapon possibly being collected as evidence by the police. He must be trying to distract himself because he feels pain and finds his fists being clenched so hard that the nails dig into the skin of his palms. When he feels Amira's hand on his, he relaxes a little. He shoots a look in the direction of the desk, signalling Amira where to pay attention. He watches her eyes become wide.

"I wrote recommendation letters for you," Leonie says. "Your internship is over, and I will hire another group of students for the next semester. But don't hope you will get rid of me, I will see you in my criminal law classes."

"What happened with your Themis?" Amira asks innocently.

Leonie looks at her too long before answering.

"I thought it doesn't fit here, so I asked Jonas to get rid of it."

David looks at Jonas, and finds him smirking slightly.

When David comes home, he opens his recommendation letter. He reads a pretty standard text until his eyes catch something.  _ Mr Schreibner always tries to find the truth, he doesn’t blindly follow his client's will, that's why he will become a great lawyer. _

David is pretty sure, it should make him happy, but it doesn't. 

* * *

  
  


**1,5 months later**

"Tell me about your nightmares," the therapist says.

David thinks of the nightmare that woke him up yesterday. 

_ Kiki with fingers on her neck. She whispers choked "Let me go" and fingers release her. David looks at the owner of those fingers and suddenly he realises that he can't see the person, because they are his own fingers. It's him, David, who is standing here, looking at his hands in confusion. Then Carlos appears next to him, with the bronze statue and raises his hand. David wants to say "No! Don't do this!" But no sound leaves his mouth. Carlos hits him and he falls down. The rest of the crew come in, and they are standing around David while he is lying there on the floor. Then, they start to wrap David into the green carpet.  _

_ David screams and wakes up. Matteo next to him gets up, goes to the kitchen and returns with a glass of water. He strokes David's sweaty hair while he is drinking, trying to forget the look in his friends’ eyes and the realistic feeling of the carpet on his skin. _

"I have this one dream, that repeats almost every night," David starts. Today is his third therapy session. First two weren't really helpful, but David knows, it takes time. He takes a deep breath. "Sometimes it continues if I don't wake up in time. My friends are trying to kill me."

"When did your nightmares start?"

_ A few weeks after we killed an innocent person. _

"A few weeks ago." 

"Would you say your life has a lot of stress recently?"

_ Yes, every day I wait for the police to arrest me. My ex boss and professor probably knows what we have done in her office and my boyfriend can realize at any moment that I'm not worth it and turn me in. _

"It is hard to be a law school student, especially if you're a criminal justice major, I guess," David smiles.

The therapist, a small woman in her forties, looks at him through her glasses.

"David, I know it is hard to open up, but we won't get any progress like that."

David shrugs.

"Why did you choose criminal law?"

"I guess because criminal law students are like surgeons among doctors or Hollywood stars among actors. They are elite. They are cool. I wanted to be among cool people for once in my life. I wanted to fit in."

When David comes home, the first thing he does is opening his sketchbook and drawing a fox in angry, sharp lines. It is sort of his way to control his emotions now, he draws every day, sometimes a few times. There are pages with his frustration and confusion and his calm and happy moments. There are drawings of old buildings and animals and people and flowers.

He shows Matteo most of them and he clips the pages (a habit he's got years ago) with his most ugly emotion, the drawings that portray his fear.

When Matteo comes home, he brings a take-out from their favorite Korean restaurant. 

When he asks how David's therapy session went, everything suddenly falls into place. 

"Matteo, I think I don't want to be a lawyer anymore."

* * *

**_2 months later_ **

"What do you mean by 'I dropped out of law school'?" Laura's voice in David's ear is confused, but he doesn't hear the disappointment he expected to hear and he sighs in relief.

"I just realised this is not what I want," he answers, "Actually, I'm filling in an application to film school. For the next year."

"I know that you dreamed about being a filmmaker since you were ten, and then you turned 180 degrees and decided to become a lawyer but..." Laura sighs. "Have you told mom and dad already?"

"Not yet, but I'm planning to, right after I'm done with the application."

"How did Matteo react?" 

"He understands," David says after playing his conversation with Matteo in his head again. 

_ "If this makes you happy and holds you from interaction with murderers and psychopaths in the future, I'm both hands up for it," Matteo says seriously. "Besides, I think you will be an amazing filmmaker. You know why I think so? Because you're amazing at everything you do." He grins and hugs David. _

"Good," Laura says. "I just don't want you to regret it, little brother."

Dropping out of the place that had led him to that night in Hanna's dad cabin and fire eating the carpet that comes to him in nightmares is the last thing David would regret in his life, but he doesn't know how to explain it to Laura.

* * *

**_4 months later_ **

Nightmares become more and more rare and at some point David can sleep well for two weeks in a row. Therapy sessions help, too. He starts a new sketchbook and there are no clipped pages so far. 

He finally brings Matteo to a family dinner one weekend and he puts his fear to be arrested in front of his mother's eyes far inside for that evening. It is also when he announces that he started to work on his portfolio for film school. 

He and Matteo disappear in his childhood room and go through boxes with David's old drawings, until Matteo finds a notebook filled with comics about a vampire. David is embarrassed, because he forgot about this silly comic he used to draw when he was 16 and he is bright red when Matteo reads it aloud. When Matteo seriously says that the comic is amazing, David doesn't believe him, but takes it home anyway. 

Next day he gives Matteo a drawing of the vampire from the comic, happy and hugging another vampire that suspiciously looks like Matteo, and says that this is the finale he deserves.

David's parents, apparently, like Matteo very much because a week later Laura calls David and states, that their mother can't stop talking about Matteo and that she  _ has to _ meet him too. With that, Laura invites herself to visit David. She and Matteo get along very well and David feels extremely happy seeing his boyfriend and his sister cooking dinner together. 

The feeling of happiness is overshadowed by guilt and fear, though, but David is used to it at this point. He wonders if he will ever be able to experience positive emotions without this annoying voice in his head telling him he  _ doesn't deserve _ this. 

The highlight of this month is a beautiful card signed with a neat cursive.

"To David Schreibner and Matteo Florenzi

Amira Thalia Mahmood and Mohammed Razzouk invite you to their wedding."

David smiles, when he sees the invitation. He hasn't talked to anyone from the Murder Crew since he dropped out of law school, but it makes his heart warm that Amira would still like to see him on that important day.

That night, though, nightmares come back.

* * *

**_6 months later_ **

"Are you ready? Amira will kill us if we're late," David says. He has his shoes on already and nervously taps his foot, waiting for Matteo by the door.

"Coming," Matteo says and appears next to him. And maybe David almost drops the keys, because Matteo looks beautiful in a suit. When he notices David staring, he blushes.

"Didn't you say we're gonna be late?" he asks.

"Right, let's go."

After the wedding invitation David resumed contact with Amira and, surprisingly, with Carlos. From Amira he learned that Sam switched her major from criminal to common law and eventually agreed for a date with Abdi, which ended up them being in a weird open relationship. Hanna broke up with Jonas. Carlos was kicked out of school, which, if David is being honest, was expected, and that he is planning to apply again next year but  _ not to criminal law _ . They moved in with Kiki recently and he is doing a renovation of the flat all by himself. David also learned that all the crew is going to be at the wedding.

David and Matteo are not late and they both gasp when they see Amira. She is gorgeous. Mohammed next to her looks no less gorgeous and they both are smiling brightly and look very happy.

For one evening David forgets about everything that happened and lets himself enjoy the life. He hugs his former classmates, chats with Hanna's plus one, a weird but handsome guy called Stefan, listens to Abdi's complains about his one-sided commitment to his relationship with Sam. David also dances, a lot. He dances with Matteo, and with Amira, and with Essam, Amira's younger brother, and even with Kiki. When David announces that he was accepted to film school, there is a second circle of hugging and Matteo looks very proud next to him. 

After hours of dancing and socializing David is a bit tired and goes outside.

He stands alone, his hands on the railing, for some time, before Amira joins him.

"I'm glad you came," she says.

"I'm glad too," David answers honestly.

"It is so weird to see how everybody goes on with their lives," he says after a couple minutes of silence. 

"Yeah," Amira laughs. "I almost cancelled the wedding a few months ago, because I didn't think I could do it."

"Why didn't you?"

"Mohammed said that he was okay if I was stressed because of school and he would wait as long as I needed. And then it came to me that I would never be ready. Not after what we've done. So I just decided to live. That wasn't an easy decision, though."

"Do you have this feeling, that you don't deserve all this? To be happy. To live normal life."

"I used to," Amira says. "Not anymore though."

"I still do. But I guess it is not because of... You know. I have this feeling all my life."

"Oh, David," Amira says seriously. "Of course you deserve to be happy."

They talk a bit more before Sam, Abdi, Matteo and Carlos join them. Matteo immediately attaches himself to David's side and wraps his arms around him.

"Hey, there is the bride!" Sam says. 

"We thought you regretted your decision and are on your way to Cuba," Abdi adds.

"I just needed some fresh air," Amira smiles.

"We were just telling Carlos about the students Leonie chose after us," Sam continues.

"Oh, yeah, apparently she is super disappointed by her choice," Abdi says."Sara said that that girl, Nora, is very nice and smart, but she just doesn't have it in her."

"A lawyer backbone!" Sam says.

"We don't have a lawyer backbone too," David laughs and fist-bumps Carlos.

"And... what is his name..."

"Finn?"

"Yes, Finn!" Sam says "Apparently he is dating Kiki's sister, Zoe."

"Oh, right," Abdi chokes with laughter, "Sara said when Leonie found out about it, she was so pissed that her second intern in a row is dating another Machwitz."

"I've seen Finn once but I didn't know he is Leonie's intern now," Carlos says. "Kiki didn't tell me."

"Well, nothing is new there," David says and everybody laughs.

Conversation goes back to the new interns, until eventually Mohammed comes to find Amira and takes her back to the party. Sam, Abdi and Carlos go with them and Matteo stays with David for a little bit more.

For some time they don't talk, just enjoy each other’s presence. 

"You know, I told Amira that it is so weird, that everybody continues to live their normal lives," David says. "And then I understood that I want to live too."

"Do you?" Matteo asks.

"I mean, for real. I want to be happy. Without looking back on what I've done and constant fear that someone finds out."

"I found out," Matteo shrugs.

"Why did you stay?"

"Because of many reasons, I think," Matteo answers. "Because I love you. Because I'm not a saint too, I mean, how many laws did I break hacking information for you and your boss. Because everybody deserves a second chance, even if they've made a mistake and a chain of unfortunately stupid decisions."

"You know, you would probably be a better lawyer than me," David laughs.

He kisses Matteo softly.

"Do you think we will be like that too?" he asks and gestures at the direction where Amira disappeared earlier.

"You mean, married and happy?" Matteo asks. David nods.

"Well, I am happy. And maybe I see us married one day," Matteo says with a big smile.

David kisses him again, more firmly this time. He is happy too. And he finally  _ wants _ to be.

"I'm looking forward, you know," he says when he pulls back, "to everything that's going to happen."

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! 
> 
> I just want to say that everything in this fic makes so much more sense if you watched how to get away with murder and if you didn't i totally recommend! I guess i tried to make Leonie as badass as Annalise Keating but no one can compare to Annalise!
> 
> Also i guess i tried to make Amira resemble to Michaela and honestly i think i failed but i still love how i managed to write her. They both, Amira and Michaela, deserve the whole world.

**Author's Note:**

> I swear to GOD i can't write, also english is not my first language, please don't yell at me.  
> But in case you want to, i'm @finemess on tumblr.


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